It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
by DisneyDreamer07
Summary: The Sawada twins didn't think life could get any more hectic than it already was. However, after a mysterious infant suddenly appeared on their doorstep, Tsuna and Tsuya's lives are turned upside down as they are thrust into the underworld of the mafia.
1. Chapter 1

"Tsuna! Tsuya!"

Nana shot a brief glance towards the direction of the stairs, waiting a moment to see if her two children would come stumbling down the steps. Due to the lacking sound of an elephant stampede, Nana ceased her current chore of chopping vegetables for the soup she was making, a new task set in mind.

"You two are going to be late again!" Nana called, wiping her hands off on her apron while heading out the kitchen. Stopping at the end of the stairway, she peered up to see if she could catch sight of her children, but as usual, she noticed neither one was out and about. Sighing to herself, Nana began to make her way up the stairs. "I guess it can't be helped."

"Tsu-kun. Tsu-chan," Nana opened the door to the teens' room, moving to step inside only to come to a halt and direct her attention to the floor where trash, clothes, video games, movies, and comic books were scattered about. Carefully stepping into the room, Nana successfully reached the center without tripping over the clutter. Placing her hands on her hips, Nana released a small frustrated sigh. "Messy as usual."

The sound of light snoring caught the mother's attention. Turning her head slightly to the right, Nana was graced with the sight of her two children snuggled up comfortably against one another in bed. She couldn't help but squeal at the adorableness of it all. Losing track of the reason as to why she was even in this room to begin with, Nana took a moment to think. Placing a hand on her chin, she scrunched her face in thought. Ah yes. She had come up here to wake the two slumbering teens – only to be sidetracked by how adorable they were when they slept together. It was so easy for her to get distracted when it came to her family.

"Tsu-kun, Tsu-chan, wake up." Nana gingerly placed her hand on the back of her daughter, giving her a small shake to see if she could wake the young woman up. Groaning softly in protest, you mumbled a few incoherent words before snuggling closer to your sibling, burying your face in his chest to block out the sun. Tsuna in the meantime, continued to snore lightly, undisturbed by your mother's wakeup call and your cuddling. "You two are going to be late." Nana tried again, giving you one last small shake before deciding it was futile when she received no further response from either of her children.

Pulling her hand back and straightening up, Nana placed her hands on her hips and shot her two slumbering kids an exasperated look. "This happens _every_ morning." She muttered to herself with a sigh. Her gaze drifted off to her left when she noticed a folded piece of paper sticking out of her children's desk drawer. Curiosity getting the better of her, Nana reached over and pulled the paper out.

"What's this?" Unfolding the paper and opening it up, Nana peered down at the sheet. It appeared to be Tsuna's math test. Red marker was etched onto the paper for corrections, which the whole sheet seemed to be based on. Apparently Tsuna didn't seem too concerned with his grade, considering he got a 15. Lowering the paper a bit, Nana couldn't help but shake her head at her son's lack of interest in school grades. "Ah, this is usual too…"

Turning her body so that she was now facing the bed of her children, Nana placed her hands on her hips (a habit she seemed to develop over the years of raising her kids) she opened her mouth, intent on getting you and your brother up this time.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi-kun, who received a fifteen in math?"

"Ah…?" Tsuna mumbled tiredly, his eyes slowly blinking open. It took him a moment for your mother's sentence to lodge into his brain, but when it finally did, Tsuna jolted up with a small yelp, scaring you in the process and resulting in you landing on your butt on the floor.

Grumbling tiredly to yourself, you rubbed your sore rump, shooting your twin a rather irritated look. "Nah, Tsu~una. Why did you go and do that?" you whined pathetically, still far too tired to blame this whole ordeal on your mother. Tsuna opened his mouth to apologize, but his attention was soon directed to the sheet of paper in your mother's hands.

Panicking, Tsuna reached out for the test results. "W-why do you have that?" It came as no surprise when Tsuna ended up falling out of bed and landing on the floor with a loud 'thud'. Glancing down at your twin, it took you a moment to finally be fully awake before your typical "OMG!! Tsuna-are-you-all-right?!" mode to kick in, but when it did you were by your brother's side in a matter of seconds, helping him sit up while going over your whole "You-didn't-break-any-bones-or-cut-yourself-and-is-now-bleeding-to-death" routine.

What can you say? You are VERY overprotective when it comes to your twin brother, Tsuna.

Rubbing the back of his head, Tsuna released a sheepish laugh. "I'm all right, Tsuya. Really."

Relief swept through your body, instantly dousing your adrenaline of stress. "Try not to be so reckless, Nii-san. I swear you give me a heart attack every time you trip over your own two feet." You stressed.

"It's not like I plan on tripping over my own feet…" Tsuna muttered dejectedly, dropping his head in defeat.

It was then a sheet of paper was shoved in both yours and Tsuna's faces. The two of you blinked in surprise, wondering why your mother was even bothering you with Tsuna's test results. It's not like either of you were concerned over it. It's just that – eh?

Tsuna's face clearly showed his confusion. "Huh? What's this?"

"Starting today a home tutor is going to be coming for Tsu-kun." Nana informed the two of you with a wide grin, waving the piece of paper in your faces. "There was an interesting flyer in the mailbox. I gave them a call immediately."

Tsuna's face fell. It was easy to say he wasn't pleased with this whole ordeal. "I don't need a home tutor." Tsuna argued with a frown.

"I will raise your child to become the leader of the next generation. I am young and good looking." Nana read from the flyer, completely ignoring Tsuna entirely. Glancing up from the advertisement, Nana beamed at the two of you. "As long as they have a place to sleep and a meal, they'll teach you twenty four hours for free!"

Tsuna rolled his eyes, deciding it wasn't worth it to try and coax your mother out of this. "That just smells like a scam-" Tsuna began to tell you, his voice trailing off as his eyes drifted to your clock on the wall. "What? It's already this late?"

Tsuna was already on his feet before you could even blink. Already absorbed in his usual "panic-mode" you watched your brother dash to your bedroom door, coming to a quick halt to twirl around and face your mother. "Anyway! I don't need a tutor!" Tsuna deadpanned, his voice somewhat serious before he instantly returned to his "panic-mode" and dashed out of your bedroom.

"H-hey! Wait up, Nii-san!" you cried, quickly scrambling to your feet and rushing after your twin brother.

Reaching your brother just as he was about to dash down the stairs, you watched your sibling trip over his own two feet yet _again_. "W-wah!" Tsuna yelped, hastily twirling his body around to try and grab a hold of something as his body began to fall back. "N-Ni-san!" Your hand shot out to grab a hold of your brother's. Tsuna immediately grabbed your hand and tried to pull himself back up so that he could regain his balance, but alas, he was already halfway through the process of stumbling back down the stairs while bringing you down with him.

*CRASH*

"Ah, ow ow ow ow ow." Tsuna's whimpering filled your ears, notifying you that you could open your eyes now seeing as how the two of you had hit solid ground. Opening your eyes, you realized that you were straddling your brother, informing you that Tsuna had pretty much taken the fall for you seeing as how you were completely unharmed.

"Dang. Thanks, Nii-san!" you chirped cheerfully, grinning down at your older twin. Tsuna merely stared back up at you, wondering how on Earth he ended up being the one to absorb the harsh landing. Of course, he didn't mind it at all, considering you were just fine. He'd take all the harsh landings from his self-inflicted falls and tumbles if it meant keeping you safe (seeing as how you always seem to tag along for some weird, bizarre reason).

"Ciaossu."

"Eh?" Both you and Tsuna turned your heads towards the sound of the voice to see a small baby clad in Italian clothing.

"So you're Tsuna?" the baby inquired, arching a brow at the two of you while nodding his head in Tsuna's direction. Pushing himself up off of the ground so that he was now sitting up with you in his lap, Tsuna shot the young baby an odd stare.

"Well, yea I'm Tsuna," Leaning forward a bit to get a better look at the odd baby, Tsuna arched a brow, wondering if this kid was for real. The baby seemed unfazed by both yours and your brother's skeptic looks. Perhaps he was used to these kinds of reactions?

"Starting from today I'll be looking after you." The young child declared.

"Wait, who is this baby?" Tsuna questioned, pulling back to glance at you.

"How would I know?" you responded with an innocent shrug.

"Don't worry, "No-good Tsuna"." The baby piped up, regaining both yours and Tsuna's attention. "Why do you know my nickname?" Tsuna seemed slightly disturbed by this baby's intelligence. What could this child possibly know about your twin brother? You had just met only moments ago.

The baby arched a brow. "Gathering information is a basic skill, Tsuna."

"Stop saying 'Tsuna, Tsuna' like you're some big-shot. I have real name, and it's Sawada Tsunayoshi!" your twin huffed irritably. "I don't want to be called 'Tsuna' by some baby like you."

"Gwah!" your eyes widened in shock when said baby suddenly performed a roundhouse kick and hit your brother square in the face before landing gracefully on the ground. "Are you all right, Nii-san?" you asked frantically, carefully placing your hand on the red welt developing on your twin's left cheek. Tsuna released a small hiss of pain, placing his hand over yours while applying pressure so that he could use your hand as a substitute icepack.

Squinting one eye open, your dear twin shot the Italian clad baby a pathetic glare. "W-why did you do that?"

It was then your mother decided to descend down the stairway and join the peculiar scene unfolding in your household. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise upon seeing the family's uninvited guest – or, so you thought…

"Oh? Where did you come from little boy?"

The baby turned its attention to your mother. Reaching into his coat pocket, he moved to pull something out. "I'm…" the young child began, pulling his hand out to reveal a small business card of some sort, "…a home tutor. Reborn." The baby introduced itself.

S-I-L-E-N-C-E

"Eh? Home tutor?" you repeated, blinking owlishly at the small child standing before you and your twin brother. "Reborn?" your mother voiced the second part, blinking in surprise. Another moment of silence passed through your family before the three of you began to laugh.

"Don't make me laugh, you're just a baby." Tsuna chortled, his hand finally releasing yours as he moved to hold his stomach. "Ah, my stomach hurts."

*SMACK*

Far too absorbed in your laughing fit, neither you nor Tsuna noticed "Reborn" preparing for another assault. By the time it happened it was too late for both you and your brother to realize what had happened. Reborn's foot made contact with your sibling's head, causing him to crash to the ground, pinning you to the floor in the process and silencing your family's laughter.

"Uh, my face hurts more than my stomach…" Tsuna complained, slowly pushing himself up a bit so that he could rub his sore head. "Whoa…! That baby's got some serious issues, Nii-san." You chirped in awe, staring wide-eyed at the baby towering above you – well, that's how he looked like to you from your perspective anyway.

"Are you okay, Tsu-kun? Tsu-chan?" Concern was evident in your mother's voice. However, her concern quickly vanished when she suddenly remembered the whole reason as to why she woke you and your brother up in the first place. "Oh, if you don't hurry you'll be late." Nana informed the two of you.

"Oh, that's right!" Tsuna yelped, instantly entering his 'panic-mode'. "I shouldn't be paying attention to this baby!"

"Wha~" you couldn't help but release a small startled cry when your brother suddenly grabbed your hand and yanked you off of the floor. "We're gonna be late _again_, Tsuya!" Tsuna panicked, rushing past your mother while dragging you after him. The door to your room slammed shut as you and Tsuna began to scramble around for your uniforms.

Reaching under your bed, you pulled out your skirt and top. Pushing yourself up off the ground, you swiftly pulled your pajama pants off and slipped your skirt on. Meanwhile, Tsuna still seemed to be scrambling around for his own uniform. "Tsu~uya! My uniform! I can't find my uniform!" Tsuna shouted, flailing his arms hysterically. Glancing over your shoulder at your hysteric twin, you tossed your tank-top onto your bed before slipping your school shirt on.

"Nii-san, your uniform is on the desk." You verified, shooting your brother a grin.

"E-eh?" Whipping his head to said furniture, Tsuna realized that his uniform was indeed on your desk. You couldn't help but giggle at your brother's adorable blush which seemed to grace his face whenever he was embarrassed. Hastily unbuttoning his pajama top, Tsuna rushed to put his uniform on while you gathered both his and your homework which was scattered about the room.

Once the two of you were properly dressed and ready to go, you followed your brother down the stairs and out the front door. "We're leaving!" Tsuna shouted, slamming the door shut behind you without even waiting for your mother's response. The two of you bolted towards Namimori Middle School, determined to somehow make it there on time without getting on Hibari's bad side – again.

"What was with that kid…" Tsuna muttered under his breath, easily gaining your attention. "You mean Reborn?" you responded, tilting your head to the side slightly in thought. Tsuna's soft brown orbs glanced in your direction. It was so easy for you two to read the other's emotions. All it took was a simple glance into one another's eyes and you would instantly know what was bothering the other. It was like reading an open book, really.

"Just who is this 'Reborn', anyway?" Tsuna asked you, his brown orbs flashing with distrust at the mention of the young, mysterious child.

"I'm a hitman."

…What the heck?!! Since when did –

Tsuna blinked in surprise, wondering how on Earth you came up with an answer like that. "A hitman, that's stupid." Tsuna chuckled, closing his eyes to humor your response. You slowed down to a stop, your gaze completely glued to the infant sitting comfortably atop of your twin brother's head. Upon hearing your footsteps slowly coming to a halt, Tsuna opened his eyes and cast you a worried glance, wondering what had caused you to stop. "Eh?" Tsuna blinked owlishly. Just what were you looking at, anyway?

It was then Tsuna began to feel something rather heavy on his head. His eyes traveled up to catch sight of none other than Reborn. "Since when did you…?" Tsuna's voice trailed off when a rather small growl began to fill the air. "Um…Nii-san?" you called, easily catching your brother's attention. Tsuna's gaze met yours before slowly traveling down to your hand which seemed to be pointing to something on the ground.

You watched the color drain from you twin's face when Tsuna finally realized that he had stepped on the tail of your neighbor's pet Chihuahua.

Tsuna squealed in fear as the small dog pushed the gate open with its head and stepped off of its owner's property and onto the public sidewalk. The tiny creature bared its fangs and released one more growl before it began to bark angrily at Tsuna. While your brother instantly panicked, you found the dog's bark to be rather adorable.

"Its leash…the leash isn't attached to anything!" Tsuna cried, twisting his body around to face the direction of our house so he could run home. Yet, before he was able to make his "grand escape" your beloved brother tripped over his own two feet (again) and crashed to the ground in a pathetic manner.

"Tsuna!" you were kneeling beside your brother before he could even blink.

Meanwhile, Reborn had hopped off of Tsuna's head and approached the riled up pooch which was _still_ growling at your twin. Reaching out and placing a hand on the dog's head, Reborn gave it a small scratch behind its ear, instantly calming the small pup down. You and Tsuna were amazed with how easily the dog had warmed up to Reborn.

Removing his hand from the adorable animal, Reborn turned around and shot Tsuna a look that clearly screamed out his first impression of the boy. "You're a loser who gets panicked easily in crisis. You're the single middle-schooler on this Earth who's afraid of Chihuahuas."

Tsuna winced at the harsh comment thrown at him from a toddler. Clearly his pride had been damaged in the process, but Reborn _did_ have a point. Your brother is the only person you know who screams when he sees a cute, cuddly Chihuahua. Why? You don't know. He seems to have a phobia for just about everything.

"I can't believe that kid…" Tsuna whined to you, accepting your offer to help him up. Tightening your grip on your brother's hand, you pulled Tsuna up onto his feet. "You didn't hurt yourself when you fell, did you Nii-san?" you immediately questioned your sibling, checking his arms for any signs of scratches or bruises. Tsuna couldn't help but laugh softly at your concern for him. Gently pulling his arm out of your grasp, he placed his hand atop of your head and gave you a small affectionate pat. "Don't worry so much about me, Tsuya. I'm fine. Just clumsy is all…" Tsuna reassured you with a smile.

Opening your mouth to respond, you were cut off however when a loud squeal was heard causing both you and your brother to turn your heads to see Kyoko running towards you. Once she reached your group, she kneeled down to Reborn's level and gave the infant a large smile.

Reborn turned around to face the newcomer. "Ciaossu."

Pleased with the toddler's greeting, Kyoko's smile widened. "Good morning."

While Reborn and Kyoko greeted one another, you glanced at your twin to see a dreamy expression on his face. Smiling knowingly, you gave your brother a small nudge, efficiently snapping him out of his daze. "E-eh? What is it, Tsuya?" your twin stammered, a light blush adorning his face when he realized that you had caught him staring at the new arrival.

"Sasagawa Kyoko, the idol of Namimori Middle School and the current crush of my beloved brother, Sawada Tsunayoshi." You recited, grinning innocently at your dear twin as his face instantly flushed at the mention of his crush.

"T-Tsuya~a! Don't go blabbing that out loud!" Tsuna panicked, earning an amused giggle from you. "No worries, Nii-san. Kyoko's too absorbed with Reborn to have heard anything we said." you reassured your brother with a grin. Tsuna shot you a wary look, his dark blush slowly fading into a light stain.

"Is this kid your younger brother?"

"Hm?" You and Tsuna turned your heads towards the source of the new voice. "Eh?" Sweatdrops formed on the back of your heads when you noticed that another girl had entered the scene. She seemed to be out of breath and her school uniform was a bit ruffled.

"Does he really look like he's related to us…?" you asked, pointing to yourself and then your twin.

"Why are you wearing a suit?" Kyoko asked the small toddler, completely oblivious to her surroundings. "Because I'm in the mafia." Reborn responded casually. You and Tsuna blinked owlishly. What the heck? What kind of weird, whacked up world did this toddler come from? Maybe he fell on his head at birth. Yeah, that had to be it.

"Mafia? What's this kid saying?" Tsuna asked you in a hushed tone, eyeing Reborn as if he were insane.

"Wow! That's so cool!" Kyoko chirped, clapping her hands together in an excited manner. You and Tsuna stared at her in disbelief, wondering why on Earth she even bought that. Standing up, Kyoko shot Reborn another smile. "I'm going to be late for school, so see you later little boy." And at that, Kyoko bid adieu and headed on her way. "Ciao Ciao." Reborn replied, waving farewell. It was then the other girl realized that she was probably going to be late to school as well. "I'm going to be late too! See ya later!" and then she was gone.

The moment both girls disappeared from sight, Reborn turned back to you and your brother. "Tsuna, you have a crush on that girl, don't you?"

It was a statement rather than a question, and it seemed to catch your brother off guard. "That girl' is Sasagawa Kyoko, the idol of my middle school. First of all it shouldn't concern you!" Tsuna retaliated; a bit peeved that Reborn seemed to know a lot about him.

Reborn ignored your brother's outburst. "As your home tutor I should understand these kinds of relationships."

"I don't remember hiring you!" Tsuna argued, clenching his right hand in a fist while shooting the toddler a heated glare. Releasing a small sigh, you placed a hand on your brother's shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. Your small gesture seemed to calm your twin down. Allowing his tense body to finally relax, a small sigh left your brother's lips. His glare morphed into an annoyed look. "Whatever, just leave me alone already." Tsuna told Reborn.

"It won't go that easily." Reborn commented, swiftly grabbing your brother's arm and bringing him down to his level. You watched with disbelief as the small toddler easily twisted Tsuna's arm behind his back, resulting in Tsuna's distressed cries for the "hitman" to release him.

"Ow ow ow ow, I give up, I give up, I give up!" Tsuna shouted, flailing his free arm around hysterically. You're not sure if Reborn released his hold on your twin out of pity or simply because he grew tired of your brother's shouting. Either way, his grip on your twin slipped off.

"That looked like it hurt, Nii-san." You commented, kneeling down beside your brother. Tsuna inched closer to you, his eyes glued on Reborn's form. "Geez, that's not normal strength for a kid…" he muttered under his breath, rubbing his right shoulder.

"As I told you before, I'm a hitman." Reborn informed us.

Tsuna seemed to be growing tired of Reborn's claims to be a certified 'hitman'. So it came as to no surprise to you for when your twin finally snapped. "Don't joke around! There's no way you could be a hitman or some mafia guy." Tsuna ranted. However, it seemed as though Reborn wasn't paying his speech any attention.

"Have you confessed to Sasagawa Kyoko yet?" Reborn asked your brother.

Tsuna's face was instantly stained with another dark blush at the mention of his crush. "D-don't talk stupid…"

Reborn arched a brow. "Why?"

"I told you already, Kyoko-chan is the school's idol. There's no way she would even consider me." Tsuna answered, turning his gaze away from the toddler.

You shot your brother a disproving look. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Nii-san."

"Your test scores for all subjects average out to 17.5. You can only go up to the third level on the vaulting horse. You can't even spin on a horizontal bar. So it's because you're a useless "No-good Tsuna"?" Reborn's information gathering skill was starting to creep you out right about now…

"That's right." Tsuna agreed, giving a small nod of approval. You gave your twin an odd look, wondering if he knew that he just dissed himself. Luckily, it didn't take Tsuna long to realize that. "Hey, why do you know so much about me!?"

"Your eyes tell me everything." Reborn replied, glancing at your brother through a green magnifying glass that seemed to have mysteriously appeared in his hand.

"That makes no sense!" Tsuna snapped irritably while getting to his feet. "Anyway, just get off my back about Kyoko-chan. If I could go out with such a cute girl I could die happy." Turning his back on the toddler, Tsuna held out his hand and helped you up. "Even if I do confess it's just a waste of time. That much I know." He mumbled softly, earning a sympathetic glance from you. "Nii-san…"

"That's a strong loser's complex." Reborn commented.

Whipping around to face the small child, Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "I told you to stop already."

"Looks like it's finally time." Reborn said to himself, earning odd stares from you and your twin. "Huh, what?" Both of your eyes widened in surprise as Reborn's magnifying glass began to glow before suddenly morphing into a chameleon. Reborn locked gazes with Tsuna, "Die now." He ordered, his chameleon glowing once again before transforming into a gun. "W-what?!" You and Tsuna stumbled back, fear etched on both of your faces. Who would've thought that this infant was loaded? "You'll understand if you die."

"Huh, what are you talking about-" Tsuna began nervously, holding his right arm out in front of you while slowly taking a step to the side to shield you.

*BANG*

You flinched at the sound of Reborn's bullet being shot, watching on with wide eyes as a red bullet sped towards you and your twin. Tsuna immediately tensed, quickly pushing you out of the way so that you wouldn't be harmed. "N-Nii-san!" you yelped, eyes widening in horror as you witnessed Reborn's bullet make contact with Tsuna's forehead, knocking the boy back as his eyes slowly rolled to the back of his head before his body hit the ground with a loud and sickening "thud".

S-I-L-E-N-C-E

"Ohmygod!! You _killed_ my brother!!" you shrieked, quickly getting to your feet and rushing over to your brother's side. Reborn offered no condolence. The hitman simply blew the smoke away from the barrel of his gun as a reply, earning a rather heated glare from you. However, your anger was quickly forgotten when you redirected your attention back to your dead sibling. "N-Nii-san! Wake up. This isn't funny!" you protested, shakily placing your hands on your brother's back and giving him a small shake. How could this have possibly happened?! Your brother…your twin…shot to death by a mere infant.

What is _wrong_ with the world?!!

"If I were you, I'd take a few steps back." Reborn advised calmly.

Opening your mouth for a retort, you threw that thought aside when you noticed something strange with your brother. His skin….was actually _glowing_? Okay, what the HECK is going on here? Weren't people's skin supposed to pale the moment they die?! And yet – instead of the pale white skin you thought you'd see – your twin's was literally glowing!! And if that wasn't enough, a flame suddenly began to flicker dimly on Tsuna's forehead, startling you as you fell back and stared on in disbelief, watching the flame slowly grow stronger and stronger.

"The hell?!! Just how many side effects are there for a person who was just shot?!" you yelped, whipping your head in Reborn's direction.

The infant merely smirked. Apparently he was quite pleased with how everything was turning out. "It's dying will time!"

"Dying-what now?!" You stared at the small baby as if he were insane (which in your case, he most certainly was!).

"REBORN!!"

"Ack!!" you instantly jumped the moment Tsuna screamed. Swiftly directing your attention back to your supposedly 'dead' sibling, your jaw dropped when you witnessed your dear brother rip his clothes off so that he was in nothing but his blue boxers. "N-N-Nii-san!!" you yelped, completely appalled with how bold your brother was suddenly acting. For god's sake, this was _Tsuna!_ You know, the adorable, shy, clueless twin of yours that you grew up with. Not to mention far too innocent for his own good! This baby had to be a spawn of the devil himself if he could make Tsuna react this way.

"I'm going to confess to Sasagawa Kyoko with my dying will!" your twin declared with fiery determination.

"E-eh?!" you yelped, eyeing your brother in shock. One minute, your twin's dead, and the next…he's up, half naked, and ready to reveal his undying love to the girl he's admired since, well, forever. It's enough to say that you are completely appalled with the current turn of events.

Deciding that he had wasted enough time with you since you appeared far too baffled to utter a simple reply, your twin brother took off like a bullet while screaming, "Where's Sasagawa Kyoko!?"

You and Reborn were left in the dust, the both of you merely watching on in silence as your brother disappeared from sight. A few minutes passed by, neither one of you saying anything. Honestly, what was there to say? I mean, you woke up this morning to find out that your mother hired your brother an infant tutor claiming to be a hitman, then said baby shot your brother, your brother dies, miraculously comes back to life while ripping his clothes off in the process, then takes off to confess his undying love to your classmate.

…Yeah. This is one of those moments you'll scrapbook to remember forever.

Not.

"…So," you began, easily gaining Reborn's attention as the infant turned to face you. "Exactly how permanent is this…" you trailed off, waving your right hand in the air as if it would somehow help you pick a word to help comprehend the situation a bit more. "Uh, "dying will" thing going to last? And _if_ it even does wear off…will my brother automatically die – or something?" Yeah, you didn't really know what to say at the moment, but hey, you gave it a shot.

Reborn's eyes glistened, making you cringe for a moment since it looked so _wrong_ coming from _him._ "The dying will shall wear off in about five minutes. After the effect is done, Tsuna will return to his original "No good Tsuna" self." Reborn assured you, earning a sigh of relief from you in return.

"Tsuya?"

At the mention of your name, both you and Reborn turned around to find a boy about a year older than you with bright red hair and round spectacles, staring at you with a concerned look on his face. It took you a moment before you finally realized who it was that had called out to you.

"Ah, Shouichi!"

Opening his mouth to reply, your best friend was cut off when you suddenly lunged forward and glomped the poor boy, pretty much scaring him out of his wits due to your sudden move. "E-eh!? T-tsuya? What are you-?"

"Oh my God, Shouichi! You are so NOT gonna believe what just happened!" you blurted out, tightening your grip on your dear friend. "See that baby over there? The one dressed up in a tuxedo?! He's mad!! Nutz! Completely loco! He just _shot_ my brother in the head and killed him and Tsuna was dead for a few minutes but then he suddenly came back to life but his skin was _glowing_ and he had a _flame_ on his forehead! Not to mention he ripped his clothes off!! So anyway his whole attitude got all rearranged and he just bolted off at an inhuman speed to confess his feeling to Kyoko. Am I dreaming or something? What day is it?! Is this because I had a chocolate bar before bed? 'Cause if that's the case then I'm never eating candy before bedtime ever again!"

Shouichi was stunned to silence, and honestly, who could blame him? He tried his best to grasp the situation, but his brain was still buzzing with all of the information you relayed to him just now. Logically, he would say that such a thing like this could never occur, but since this is _you_ he's talking to, Shouichi knows that you prefer to skip all the complicated, high-tech answers and stick with the plain and simple ones. That was how _your_ logic worked, anyway.

"Uh, I'm not exactly sure how to explain your hectic morning…but I can assure you that you are awake." Shouichi informed you, giving you a small pat on the back to show you that you were indeed awake.

Reborn couldn't help but chuckle on in amusement as he watched you blink owlishly for a moment, finally coming to realization that everything that had happened to you this morning really transpired.

"Ah man!" you groaned pathetically, releasing Shouichi from you iron hold to trot over to your brother's discarded clothing. Shouichi joined you by your side as the two of you began to gather Tsuna's school uniform. While doing so, your friend glanced towards the baby monitoring you both, his obsidian eyes glistening with a sure promise of death. Immediately becoming spooked by the infant's intense stare, Shouichi quickly cast his gaze away, shuddering a bit in the process.

"That baby's possessed!" Shouichi exclaimed to you in a hushed tone.

You couldn't agree more with your BFF. Ever since Reborn showed up at your house this morning, you've been getting the heebie-jeebies from the small, intimidating infant. Weren't babies supposed to be absolutely adorable and cuddle worthy? Just what the HECK went wrong with Reborn, then?! You and Shouichi both sent said baby incredulous looks over your shoulders, only to receive a smirk fit for the devil.

What the hell is **wrong** with this baby?!!

"Ah, harsh…" Shouichi commented, wincing along with you as the two of you watched Kyoko scream and dash into the school after your dear twin brother had asked her (or demand, it sounded more like a demand to you) to go out with him. Now, you had to admit that seeing your brother clad in nothing but his sky blue boxers with a flame burning on his forehead was probably a little too much for a girl to bear…you couldn't help but feel sympathetic for you poor twin.

"Bastard!"

Your jaw instantly dropped in disbelief upon witnessing Mochida punch your brother square in the face, knocking your twin right off his feet and sent crashing to the ground. Shouichi gulped, casting you a wary glance when he suddenly felt the murderous intent emitting from your small body.

"…Shouichi." You began in an eerily calm tone, causing the redheaded boy beside you to instantly tense. "Y-yes?" was the small squeak you got in return. You shoved your brother's uniform into the boy's arms, your eyes locked on the raven haired boy that had sucker punched your sibling. "Hold these for me." Was your only reply before you stomped off towards the older boy.

Shouichi couldn't help but feel a _little_ sorry for the man who was about to receive your hellfire wrath.

"Don't kid yourself, creep." Mochida snarled, looking down upon your brother with distaste. Whirling around to make his way into the school, Mochida came to a halt upon seeing you blocking his path. "Out of the way, Sawada. I'm already in a bad mood thanks to your bro-"

**SMACK**

Mochida went down like a sack of bricks the moment your fist made contact with his face. Giving your wrist a quick shake, you shot the boy a murderous glare. "If you _ever_ hurt my brother like that again…I will personally skin you _alive!_" you vowed in a low hiss. Mochida simply stared at you with a look on his face that resembled a deer in the headlights. Now, normally you would never dream of resorting to violence – but when someone hurts your brother…there's hell to pay!

"Now get outta here before I sick Shouichi on you!" you snapped irritably, gesturing towards your nerdy friend who gapped at you after hearing your statement. Luckily, Mochida scrambled into the school before even sparing your friend a glance to see if he was even a threat.

Once the delinquent was out of sight, Shouichi joined you by your side. "Are you _nuts!?_ There's NOWAY I could have taken him on and live to tell the tale!"

You gave your friend a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You and I both know that…but _he_ doesn't."

"Your logic astounds me." Shouichi grumbled to himself, slouching a bit as he began to pout.

"Ugh." The moment the soft grunt left your sibling's lips, you were kneeling beside your brother and helping him sit up as the poor boy rubbed his head. The flame that had been burning earlier on Tsuna's forehead had now dissolved. Perhaps that means that Reborn's bullet effect had finally worn off?

Tsuna blinked owlishly for a moment as he absorbed the situation. He glanced around at our surroundings, his face instantly heating up when he noticed all of our classmates staring at us. Of course, he then looked like he was about to die from embarrassment when he realized that he was in nothing but his boxers.

Clutching his head with both hands, Tsuna snapped his eyes shut and cringed. "What happened to me?"

"That's thanks to the "Dying Will Bullet'."

All the attention now fell onto Reborn who was perched comfortably atop of Shouichi's left shoulder. The infant seemed to be smirking, not at all surprised with the outcome from the "Dying Will Bullet" he had shot Tsuna with. If anything, he appeared to be quite pleased with himself. How creepy…

"Reborn!" Tsuna cried, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Reborn pulled a small red bullet, one exactly identical to the one he had shot your brother with earlier, out from his pocket. He held it up for us to see, the small weapon glistened in the light as it was being shown. "This is the 'Dying Will Bullet'. A person shot in the head with this bullet will be resurrected with the dying will." Reborn explained to us.

You, Tsuna and Shouichi blanched. "What?"

Reborn appeared unfazed by your reactions and continued on with his explanation. "The basis of the resurrection is if you have any regrets when dying. The dying will time is only five minutes. After five minutes you return to normal."

Up until now, no one said anything. However, Tsuna stepped up to the plate and allowed a question to fall from his lips. "Then what if I wasn't regretting anything…"

A smirk appeared on Reborn's face as the infant glanced off to the side. "I'm a hitman"

S-I-L-E-N-C-E

"I would've died?" Tsuna shrieked, instantly freaking out from the realization that he really could have died. After hyperventilating for a few minutes, Tsuna finally calmed down enough to ask Reborn another question. "Besides that, what do I do? It's too embarrassing to come to school anymore! Ahh, even though I didn't feel like confessing!" You gave your brother a small pat on the back. Who could blame him for reacting like that? It would be utterly embarrassing to show up at school clad in nothing but your underwear. Especially when the teasing here was so relentless…

Reborn didn't seem too concerned about Tsuna's social status, despite it having been his fault in the first in the place that your brother was now labeled the new "pervert" of your high school. "You mean you wanted to but couldn't anyway." Reborn pointed out, referring to Tsuna's earlier statement.

Tsuna wasn't pleased with Reborn's lack of concern for his reputation. You and Shouichi watched on in surprise as your brother swiftly got to his feet and grabbed Reborn's cheeks, giving them a rough tug. "Shut up!"

**KA-POW**

Tsuna was sent crashing to the ground after Reborn landed a pretty decent punch on your sibling's face. "Owww…" Tsuna whimpered, gingerly placing his hand over his sore cheek. Your brother winced when his hand made contact with his wound. "But I was fine when the truck hit me." Tsuna whined, unable to comprehend how everything worked now that Reborn was present.

It took me a moment before my brother's words finally lodged themselves into my brain. "Whoa~! Wait a sec…! You were hit by a TRUCK!?"

Reborn crossed his arms over his chest. "That's because you had the dying will. Dying will means that all your safety switches are turned off. So in exchange for risking your life to the limit, you can harness amazing strength."

You and Shouichi exchanged incredulous stares with one another. Neither of you wanted to have a say in this particular conversation. Your brains already felt like they would explode if anything else was shared. And that's saying something since the two of you are pretty optimistic when it comes to things like this. But this…this is just too much!

"I see…" Tsuna mumbled, finally able to grasp the idea of what was going on. "So that means my potential strength is hidden, but awakened when I receive the Dying Will Bullet!"

DING-DONG-DING-DONG

The school bell chimed loudly, informing everyone that class was just about to start. The loud noise seemed to snap Tsuna out of his trancelike state. Giving his head a small shake, Tsuna snapped his eyes open and clenched both of his fists. "You think I can just take all that in so easily?" he snapped irritably at the small infant still perched atop of Shouichi's shoulder.

"What are you doing there?"

It was like a sudden cold breeze blew past your small group the moment that emotionless voice spoke. Slowly turning your heads to the left, the color drained from all of your faces when you caught sight of Hibari Kyouya standing just a few feet away.

"Classes have started." Hibari informed the three of you, his eyes narrowing into a glare.

Tsuna squeaked in fear. "Hibari Kyouya from the Discipline Committee?"

"As a Discipline committee member I cannot overlook this." Hibari stated in an emotionless tone, causing the three of you to flinch.

"Sorry!" Both you and Tsuna yelped, quickly scrambling to your feet before rushing off into your school, leaving poor Shouichi behind along with Reborn to fend for themselves against the violent raven-haired teen.

Your redheaded friend gulped nervously as Hibari's gaze fell upon him and the small infant perched atop of his shoulder. However, instead of receiving a brutal beating from the teen like you and Tsuna described when Hibari was annoyed, the Discipline committee member merely smirked before turning around and following after you and your brother.

"…I think I just lost one of my nine lives." Shouichi muttered sarcastically, his knees still feeling wobbly from the whole ordeal. Reborn, on the other hand, seemed quite amused with their meeting with Hibari.

"Here comes underwear-man!"

"A sudden confession to Sasagawa Kyoko: Please go out with me!"

"He's going to be rejected!"

"That's obvious, right, Sasagawa?"

"The guy is No-good Tsuna after all."

As expected, the relentless teasing had commenced the moment Tsuna opened the door to your classroom. Your brother released a low groan, dropping his head in shame. You remained loyally by his side, placing a hand gently on his shoulder while giving it a small reassuring squeeze to let him know that he shouldn't take all of this to heart. However, Tsuna seemed to be taking this pretty hard.

"This is horrible! The days of hell are starting." Your brother whimpered pathetically to you. "It's all that weird baby's fault."

You opened your mouth to respond, only to be interrupted by one of your male classmates. "Hey Tsuna, Captain Mochida says he wants to fight you during afternoon break in the gym."

Both you and your twin gapped at the boy. Was he serious? Just what could Mochida possibly gain by challenging Tsuna to a match?

"Mochida-sempai said he wanted to get revenge on the insult you received, Kyoko." Hana informed her friend. Tsuna and you spared quick glances with one another. So was that what this was all about? Isn't that going a little too far? Hana didn't seem to notice you and your twin listening in on her conversation with Kyoko. "He said he won't forgive anyone who makes Kyoko cry!"

One of Hana's female friends squealed in delight. "Good for you Kyoko!"

Kyoko appeared to be distressed by all of the attention she was getting. "N-no, we're both on the same committee." She protested, trying to clear up the fact that everyone thought she and Mochida were an "item".

Hana's friend waved Kyoko's protest off. "Well, whatever, afternoon break should be fun."

Oh, that there did it for you.

"Fun? Fun!? You think watching Mochida pick on my brother will be _fun?!_ Why you ignorant little prissy~!" you seethed, moving to knock the girl's lights out, only to be stopped by Tsuna as the boy grabbed a hold of your arm, preventing you from moving any further. Luckily for you, your outburst had scared the girl senseless as she cowered behind Hana, looking like a puppy that had been kicked. "That's right! You'd better be sorry!"

"…Tsuya."

Releasing a soft sigh in defeat, you obeyed your brother's soft protests and laid off on your death threats. The nerve of that woman! Making fun of your big brother like that – like he wasn't even in the room to begin with. If there's one thing that riles you up the most, it's when people disrespect your brother and treat him as if he doesn't exist. If they would just take the time to try and get to know him better, they would realize how gentle your dear brother can be.

"Eh?" You were far too absorbed with your own thoughts to notice that the teasing had picked up again, causing Tsuna to grab hold of your hand and squeeze it in distress. "Nii-san…"

Tsuna tightened his grip on your hand, his body quivering slightly as he hung his head in shame. "I'll run away! I swear I'll run away!"

"Nii-san! Nii-san, where are you? Nii-saaan~!"

Upon realizing that you were getting no response, you gave a soft sigh. Your eyes drifted over towards the school's clock tower. It was now afternoon break, and all of the students were now heading over to the gym in anticipation, all of them eager to watch the upcoming fight between Mochida and your big brother. Unfortunately for you, the moment the class bell rung, you lost Tsuna in the crowd as everyone began to disperse. Knowing your brother, he probably got spooked and ran off somewhere. The only question now is _where?_

"Nii-san," you whined, slowly trudging past the school's entrance gates.

Once again, you were too preoccupied with your current thoughts to notice what was going on around you, which would probably explain why you weren't aware of the redheaded boy trying to get your attention. "Oi, Tsuya! Hey. Heeeeey~!! Augh, for the love of—"

KaPOW!

You immediately came down from cloud nine when something hard came in contact with your head. "Ouch! What the heck!?" Rubbing your sore spot, you glanced down at the weapon that had caused the damage – a rock. "Stupid rock…!" you grumbled bitterly, kicking said object aside out of frustration.

"Geez, what is up with you today?"

Blinking in confusion upon hearing the familiar voice, you spun around to face the entrance to be graced with the sight of your best buddy in the whole wide world. "Ah, Shouichi~!" the boy arched a brow, somewhat amused that you finally took the time to acknowledge him. You grinned sheepishly, giving the back of your neck a small rub. "Eh, what's up? What brings you here?"

Shouichi sighed in reply. "Well, you know me. I forgot my lunch _again_, so I thought I'd head back home at afternoon break and get it." The boy blinked in surprise, finally taking notice of your twin's absence. "Hey, where's Tsuna? Don't you two usually have lunch together at this time?"

"Ah, I'm not quite sure where he is at the moment." I mumbled dejectedly, earning a look of concern from my best friend.

"You wanna talk about it?" Shouichi asked, immediately sensing that there was a story behind all of this. Leave it to Shouichi to understand exactly when I need a buddy to talk to. He always seems to mysteriously appear whenever I need him. Albeit it's a little creepy at times…I'm really grateful to have such a wonderful friend like him.

"…Well, it all started—"

"And that's what happened." You finished with a sigh, kicking a small pebble that had been lying in your path as you and Shouichi walked around the school grounds in search of your brother.

"Looks like Tsuna has it pretty rough over here." Shouichi commented.

"You have no idea." You muttered bitterly under your breath, kicking another innocent pebble aside, this time with a little more force than you intended, causing the pebble to hit a metal pole and ricochet into the gym room where a startled yelp was heard along with a "smack". Shouichi shot you one of those looks he always gives you when you get carried away with something, which normally results in you having to apologize for whatever it "is" you've done. "Sorry~!" you called into the gym, peering inside to see who the victim was. Your eyes landed on none other than the obnoxious Mochida, who was now nursing his injured head. A frown instantly replaced your look of concern, "Never mind! Karma's a bi—"

Shouichi grabbed a hold of your arm, yanking you out of the entry way of the gym before you could cuss. "Tsuya, please tell me you don't kiss your mother with that mouth." Your friend reprimanded you, earning a rather amused look from you in return. "Ugh, you're so _weird._" Shouichi gave up on trying to scold you. He knew you never really took him seriously when he tried to do so anyway. This would be one of those times.

"Oi~! Sawada, where's your brother!?"

Shouichi released his hold on you when he realized how you tensed the moment your name was called. His green eyes landed on the cause of your current distress. So, that's Mochida, eh? From the looks of it, he appears quite full of himself. 'Oh great, another jock…' Shouichi thought sarcastically to himself with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, either way, I'm the lead in this battle. No matter what, I won't let the trash win." Mochida announced arrogantly with a smirk.

Yup, definitely a jock, this one.

It was then Shouichi realized that you were no longer by his side. "Ack! Tsuya, no! Stop!!" the poor boy yelped, rushing after you as you moved to tackle Mochida. "Tsuya!!" Shouichi wrapped his arms around your waist and leaned back so that he could pull you along with him, preventing you from what could have been a pretty brutal beat down for the older teen in front of you two.

"Lemme go, Shouichi! This jerk's asking for it!" you growled, thrashing wildly in the poor boy's arms.

Shouichi continued to keep a firm hold on you. "Tsuya, think this through!"

Mochida finally seemed to acknowledge you and Shouichi after growing tired of boasting to the crowd. "Eh? Have you come to inform me that the trash has forfeited?" the older teen's comment earned a nasty look from you. How the hell does he keep all that hot air stored in that head of his!? He should seriously be floating off into the distance by now! That no good basta—

"I guess he ran."

"Geez, no-good Tsuna."

Your classmates were already coming to the conclusion that your brother was a no show…that he simply ran away out of fear. Anger boiled deep inside your gut from having to hear all of their trash talk about your beloved sibling. Shouichi seemed to sense this, his grip around your waist tightened slightly in a silent message of "calm down". Leave it to Shouichi to be the voice of reason in your time of need.

Mochida threw his head back and laughed. "This means I win by default!"

Ugh, how you'd just _love_ to wipe that damn smirk off of his face! Unfortunately for you, your best friend was holding you back, apparently quite determined to not let you go and do something 'foolish'. If only you could just kick that arrogant man where it hurts—then who'd be laughing then, eh!?

"Tsuna!"

"That No-good Tsuna came!"

Everyone's attention was immediately directed towards the entrance of the gym, where low and behold, your brother stood. He appeared to be unsure of his decision, but the fact that he had shown up made you extremely proud. Tsuna isn't normally one for confrontation, so seeing him appear for a fight apparently surprised not only you, but everyone in the gym. Even Mochida seemed speechless, and that's telling you something!

"Whoa, he really came."

"It would be better if he ran."

The comments continued to flow through the crowd as Tsuna slowly made his way into the gym. It was now that Shouichi decided to release his grip on you, allowing you to rush forward to greet your sibling. "Nii-san!" you cried happily, flinging yourself into your older brother's arms. "T-tsuya!" your brother yelped in surprise, easily catching you. "Ah~! I'm so proud of you, Nii-san!" you informed your brother with a wide grin, tightening your grip on him in your hug. Tsuna flushed with embarrassment, a few incoherent words spilling from his mouth in a stuttered mess. Shouichi couldn't help but chuckle at the adorable scene.

"There you are you perverted stalker!"

Your happy little moment was instantly ruined when Mochida decided to step in and knock Tsuna's confidence down. "Heaven may forgive a piece of trash like you, but I won't! I shall punish you!" Mochida declared with his hands on his hips and a smug smirk on his lips.

Releasing your brother from your embrace, you whirled around to face the arrogant bully. "Why you~!" Tsuna swiftly grabbed a hold of your hand, pulling you back a bit so that you wouldn't engage in battle. You turned your head slightly to the left to give your brother a pout to show how displeased you were at the moment. However, Tsuna remained firm and continued to prevent you from entering the fight. He made it quite clear that he didn't want you involved in this. So with a sigh of defeat, you backed off and allowed Tsuna to take over.

"Wait…there was a reason for what happened." Tsuna tried to explain.

Mochida snorted in reply, shoving his kendo towards your brother's face to silence him. "I won't listen to excuses!"

"He's just asking for it…" you growled under your breath, your right eye twitching in annoyance. Shouichi gave you a small pat on the back to try and calm you down.

"Don't worry, you're just a beginner at kendo, so if you can even get one point from me, you win. If you can't, then I win." Mochida informed your brother. He then whipped around and pointed his kendo at Kyoko with a grin on his face. "The prize is, of course, Sasagawa Kyoko!"

While the crowed "ooh" and "awed", Kyoko appeared quite distressed that she was being used like some kind of trophy. "P-prize?" she stuttered, a frown evident on her face. "What a jerk." Hana hissed, sending the older male a rather heated glare on her friend's behalf. Well, it just goes without saying that Mochida is officially a downright obnoxious creep. May your brother wipe the floor with his face!!

Mochida twisted his body around once more so that he was facing Tsuna. "Let's go, Sawada!"

Tsuna "eeped", stumbling back a few steps in fright. "Come on, Nii-san! Kick that guy's sorry ass!!" you cheered your sibling on, pumping your right fist into the air with enthusiasm. Beside you, Shouichi released a puff of air. "You sure are energetic all of sudden…" he mumbled to himself with a sweatdrop.

"Tsuna!" Yamamoto called, quickly gaining the boy's attention. Turning his head to the right, Tsuna squeaked in surprise when the captain of the baseball team threw a kendo towards him. Tsuna held his arms out and caught the weapon, fumbling around a bit as he tried to get a good grip on it. Unfortunately for him, Mochida didn't appear to have the decency to wait for Tsuna to prepare before charging head on into battle. He showed no mercy by slamming his kendo into Tsuna's chest, knocking your brother clean off of his feet and sent crashing down onto the ground with a loud painful 'thud'.

That action didn't sit well with you. "He~ey! That was dirty you jerk!!"

Tsuna scrambled to his feet, then took off running with Mochida hot on his heels. "Stop, you can't escape!" Mochida cackled, waving his kendo wildly in the air. Tsuna ignored the boy and continued to run while screaming like a little school girl. Everyone watched on with sweatdrops as the two boys ran around the gym.

"…This has got to be the weirdest fight I've ever seen." Shouichi confirmed to himself, wincing in sympathy as he watched Mochida swing his kendo at Tsuna's feet, successfully knocking your brother to the ground in a painful manner.

"Nii-san!" You fretted for your brother's well being. This was so unfair! As much as you love your brother…there's just no possible way for him to beat a kendo champion. This match was totally bogus!

Mochida came to a halt in front of Tsuna. Raising his kendo above his head, the boy smirked, clearly pleased with the turn of events. "You're mine."

Tsuna instantly cringed, snapping his eyes shut so that he wouldn't see the final blow coming. It pained you to see your brother like this. Moving to step forward to help aid your brother, you were held back by Shouichi. "This isn't your fight, Tsuya. You shouldn't get involved." He told you in a hushed tone. Far too distressed to argue, you tried to pull yourself out of your friend's firm grip, but Shouichi continued to hold you back. Finally fed up with your futile attempts, you turned your attention back to your sibling.

"Nii-san, don't give up! You're way better than that jerk. Don't give in to him, Nii-san!!"

Your shouting seemed to have startled Mochida as he faltered for a moment. Tsuna peered past the older teen to see you in the crowd, staring at him with teary eyes. It pained him to see you in such a state. "…T-tsuya."

**BANG**

The sound of a gunshot ripped through the air, startling you, Tsuna and Shouichi. It was then that a small red bullet became visible, the weapon whizzing towards your defenseless sibling. Shouichi's hold on you was immediately released as he yelped in shock when the bullet made contact with Tsuna's forehead. It was like watching everything in slow motion now, the way Tsuna's eyes rolled to the back of his head and his body fell back to the ground with a sickening 'thud'.

"…I think I'm gonna be sick!" Shouichi whimpered, his body shaking horrifically from having witnessed your brother's surprising 'death'.

You on the other hand, held your breath in anticipation. It just had to have been Reborn that had fired that shot. It just had to! So that means that your brother should go into "Dying Will" mode now, right? Your panicked thoughts were soon answered as Tsuna's skin began to glow, a small flicker of a flame appearing on his forehead. You knew what was coming now, and as expected, Tsuna was suddenly on his feet, ripping his uniform off in the process.

"REBORN!!"

Shouichi gawked at the sight. Is this how your brother came to be in the state he was in earlier this morning? If it was…then dear lord! Just what is going on here!? Weird talking babies, people being shot and then brought back to life in "Dying Will" mode – what's next? A talking cow?!! Okay…now there was something he didn't need to visualize.

"I'll get a point no matter what it takes!" Tsuna vowed, determination burning brightly in his eyes.

"That's right, Nii-san! Kick the dude's ass!!" you cheered your sibling on, pumping your right fist into the air with all the enthusiasm you could muster. Shouichi remained silent, his face paling as he drowned in his own thoughts.

Tsuna released a battle cry, charging towards Mochida with inhuman speed. The crowd roared with laughter at the sight of Tsuna rushing into battle in his boxers. Mochida appeared to be unfazed, a frown appearing on his face as he raised his kendo above his head to prepare for his attack.

"Idiot! Did you think that would affect me?"

You winced when Mochida's kendo made contact with your brother's head. Expecting Tsuna to be knocked back from the attack, the crowd gasped in shock when Tsuna defied their expectations. Mochida's kendo shattered to pieces the moment it hit your brother's head. The kendo champion gapped in shock, giving Tsuna the chance he needed to tackle the older boy to the ground. You watched on with anticipation, Shouichi still appeared to be in shock, and above you standing on the rafters was none other than Reborn, smirking in satisfaction. Tsuna raised his right arm into the air causing the crowd to gawk.

"Mounted position?" Yamamoto mumbled to himself.

"He's planning to hit that guy." Kyoko's brother stated in surprise.

Tsuna's shout resounded through the gym as he swung his arm down and grabbed a fistful of Mochida's raven hair. Then, to everyone's surprise, Tsuna ripped the hair off of Mochida's scalp and held it above his head. "You think I'd only get one point? I've got hyaku-pon now!" Tsuna whipped his head towards the referee, his fierce gaze startling the teen. It was odd, though. The referee refused to acknowledge it as a point. The crowd, however, burst into a fit of laughter.

"Good thinking Tsuna."

"He never specified what you needed to get a point off of!"

Tsuna growled in annoyance. "If that's not enough…" he hissed, raising his arm into the air – he then began to rip all of Mochida's hair off of his head, causing the crowd to "woot" and cheer. Tsuna was determined to get a point, not at all caring for the screaming male beneath him as he continued to rip his hair off his scalp. The referred finally decided to allow Tsuna victory. He shot the red flag into the air, Tsuna's victory flag.

"Point! Red wins!"

Everyone was completely dumbfounded at your brother's win. It was silent for a moment, then the whole gym erupted with cheers.

"Wow!"

"Tsuna won!"

"It was crazy, but it was great!"

"I have a newfound respect for you, Tsuna!"

Tsuna's flame finally dissolved, leaving the boy panting and highly confused at what had just happened. His brown orbs scanned over Mochida's unconscious, bald form. "I did this?" he mumbled to himself in disbelief, staring wide eyed at the defeated kendo champion below. "I guess if I really have the dying will, I can even beat a senpai…"

"TSUNA~!"

"Ack!"

Your brother stumbled back a few steps when your body collided with his for a bear hug. It took him a moment to digest what just hit him, and when he saw you grinning from ear to ear, a blush covered his face when he realized how proud you were of him. "Wah! I can't even begin to tell you how dang _awesome_ you were, Nii-san!" you exclaimed, tightening your hold on your brother. "Even Shouichi's speechless!" Tsuna directed his attention over to the stunned redhead, who still appeared to be having a hard time digesting everything that had happened. Tsuna could help but chuckle at the sight.

"Sawada-kun!"

Feeling your brother instantly tense in your hold, you let go and turned to face the source of his anxiousness. As expected, there stood Kyoko. A sly grin appeared on your face as you eyed your brother with a mischievous glint.

"K-Kyoko-chan." You couldn't help but snicker at your brother's flustered tone.

"I'm sorry about this morning." Kyoko apologized bashfully, averting her gaze to the ground. "My friends tell me a lot that I don't know when to laugh."

"She thinks my confession this morning was a joke…" Tsuna blanched, slouching forward with a defeated look on his face. Despite your efforts, you laughed at the outcome and gave your older brother a reassuring pat on the back.

Kyoko lifted her head up, revealing to you her sparkling eyes as she looked at your brother with admiration. "You really are incredible. You're not like some average guy." Kyoko praised. Tsuna's head shot up, his eyes widening in disbelief at what he was hearing. "Is it okay if I call you Tsuna-kun from now on?"

Tsuna remained frozen on the spot, gawking at Kyoko like an idiot. Upon hearing no response from your sibling, you took it upon yourself to elbow him in the gut to get him to react. "Ugh!" Tsuna rubbed his sore spot and shot you a weak glare. Childishly sticking your tongue out, you nodded your head in Kyoko's direction, reminding your brother that he had still yet to give her an answer. Upon realizing this, Tsuna's face flushed with embarrassment.

"O-of course!"

After Kyoko took her leave, Tsuna nearly collapsed from swooning. Luckily, you caught your brother just before he hit the ground. "Take it easy, Nii-san. You had a pretty exciting day." You giggled, helping your sibling get back on his feet.

Shouichi joined you by your side. He still looked a little pale, but at least he had snapped out of his stupor.

"This is the best day of my life~!" Tsuna declared in a dreamy tone.

You and Shouichi exchanged knowing looks before directing your attention back to Tsuna. You blinked in surprise when you noticed how your brother seemed to be deep in thought. What could he possibly be thinking of?

"Nii-san, what's up?"

Tsuna blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "Eh? Oh, I was just thinking. Could this be thanks to _him?_"

Your brother didn't need to clarify who he was referring to. Both you and Shouichi knew without a doubt that he was talking about the hit man baby personally known as Reborn.

"What he says and does is totally crazy, but if he wasn't there this wouldn't have happened…"

…Hm. Your brother did have a point there.

Shouichi shuddered at the thought of having to come across Reborn again. "Ugh, no offense, but I hope we've seen the last of that kid."

You laughed at the nervous tone coming from your nerdy friend. "Aww, is Shou-chan afraid of an itty-bitty baby?" you teased, nudging your friend in the side with your elbow.

"If you are referring to the baby that's loaded with ammo…then **YES!!**"

You and Tsuna burst into a fit of laughter, leaving Shouichi to huff and pout in return. The three of you were far too absorbed with each other to notice someone standing outside the gym's entrance, staring intensely at your little group.

"So that is…the Vongola's tenth generation boss candidate, Sawada Tsunayoshi."

"Wh-what?"

Both you and Tsuna stared at the infant across from you with dumbfounded expressions on your faces. After school, the two of you bid farewell to Shouichi and headed on home. Once you were both situated in your room, Reborn decided it was the perfect time to drop the 'bomb' on you two and so far…neither of you were taking it all that well.

"I'm the Vongola's tenth generation boss? Me!?" Tsuna squeaked, pointing to himself for emphasize.

"This is so messed up!" you groaned, rubbing your sore head. It was just too hard to imagine your brother as a mafia boss. I mean, COME ON! This is _Tsuna._ The boy who's too afraid to face your neighbor's pet Chihuahua for Pete's sake!

Reborn appeared to be the only one in the group who was undisturbed by this new revelation. "I came here because I was requested from the current Vongola family boss, the Ninth, to train you to become an admirable Mafia boss." The small child explained to us.

"I don't get it! What are you talking about!" Tsuna protested, slamming his hands on our small coffee table.

Reborn shoved a piece of paper in your brother's face as if to answer his question. Tsuna blinked, taking the paper from Reborn. You leaned closer to your brother so that you could read what was on the piece of parchment along with Tsuna.

"The Vongola family's first retired and crossed to Japan. He's your great, great, great grandfather. In other words, since you inherited the Vongola blood, you are a legitimate candidate to become the next boss."

Tsuna lowered the paper and the two of you directed your attention to Reborn, who was now clad in his pajamas. "How come we've never heard about this…" Tsuna questioned the infant.

Reborn shrugged nonchalantly, turning around to make his way towards your bed. "Don't worry, I'll train you to become a great Mafia boss."

"I can't believe we're related to the Mafia. Shouichi will _never_ buy this…" you huffed to yourself, puffing your cheeks out a bit in a pout. Just how exactly will you persuade your nerdy friend into believing all of this nonsense, especially with that logical head of his? Hmm…this might take a few tries – and perhaps a few therapy sessions.

"Why are you deciding everything by yourself…and don't sleep in our bed!" Tsuna snapped irritably, watching Reborn slide under the covers of your bed.

"It's sleepy time, see you tomorrow." Reborn replied simply.

"Hey!" Tsuna began to protest, standing up and heading over towards your bed to drag Reborn out. He came to a halt when he felt his socked feet come in contact with something. Blinking in surprise, Tsuna directed his gaze to the floor. There, he caught sight of grenades surrounding your bed. "What did you set up!?"

"I forgot to tell you," Reborn stated calmly. "If you try to disturb my sleep those booby traps will blow up." The infant then fell asleep, blowing a snot bubble to assure us that he was out cold.

"He's sleeping with his eyes open!" Tsuna informed you with a sweatdrop.

"What a weird baby…" you sighed, walking up to the bed to gaze at the odd sight.

"And it's still so early!" Tsuna complained bitterly, glancing out the window to see that the sun was just now setting. "Do you sleep at baby-time!?"

Releasing a small puff of air, you grabbed a hold of your brother's hand and gave it a small tug. "Come on, Nii-san. I believe we've got the couch tonight." Tsuna hung his head in defeat, following you without another word as the two of you left your room to crash on the cough downstairs. Hopefully Reborn won't make it a habit to sleep in your bed during the whole stay. Your family's couch isn't the best substitute for your warm, comfortable bed – which was now housing a snoozing hit man.

How lovely…

Nana quietly crept up to the slumbering infant, delicately pulling the covers up so that Reborn would remain warm throughout the night. A small smile was visible on the woman's face as she gazed down at the baby with a fond expression. "Please take care of Tsuna and Tsuya, Reborn-kun."

A smile made its way onto Reborn's lips upon hearing the mother's request.

Oh…he'll take care of them all right.


	2. Chapter 2

**First off, I wanted to thank the people who took time to leave reviews. You guys really helped motivate me to finish this chapter (which, by the way, is 52 pages long).**

**To my awesome reviewers~**

**//**_**Kai G. tayuki:**_**//**__**Thank you so much for the review! Yes. Tsuya will play a big part in the story. There's going to be quite a few twists mixed in this story due to Tsuya, so, please look forward to it! Haha. You're about to see what happens when the twins meet the first member of their familigia – enjoy! **

**//**_**SaChan22:**_**// Thanks so much for the review! I'm sorry you were sad when the first chapter ended, but fear not! The new one has been posted! **

**//**_**kikyokyoyahibari:**_**// Thank you for the review! You are correct. There is indeed a female boss among the other previous nine bosses of Vongola. Tsuya **_**does**_** qualify as a candidate for the boss seat, but she needs to "prove" her worth to Reborn before she can become a **_**true**_** candidate. **

**//**_**Yorukifon:**_**// Thanks for the review! Haha. Yes, I tend to write extremely **_**long**_** chapters…eh heh. **

**//**_**Joyce:**_**// Thank you for the awesome review! Tsuya's full name is Tsuyaku ('ku' not 'ko'). Yes, Tsuya "qualifies" to become Vongola Decimo…however, like I told **_**kikyokyoyahibari,**_** Tsuya needs to "prove" herself to Reborn before she can fully qualify for as a candidate for the Vongola Decimo. As for Tsuya's "guardians", I'm not going to say anything right now because I want it to be a **_**surprise.**_** No worries, though. I have something BIG planned for Tsuya's role in this story. I'm sorry that I can't relay any more answers for your questions (which were **_**great**_**, by the way), but I want everything to remain as a surprise for you guys~**

* * *

It was just another peaceful morning for you and your twin brother.

The two of you were snuggled close together in your bed, completely oblivious to the sun's warm ray of sunshine that shone in through your bedroom window acting as your alarm clock which clearly you and Tsuna purposefully ignored, neither of you showed any signs of getting up anytime soon. The two of you were quite content with how things were. The idea of having to get up to go to yet _another_ hectic day of school wasn't all that appealing, yet the prospect of sleeping in was.

At least, that was your original plan – until you felt someone staring at you.

Releasing a small annoyed sigh, you kept your eyes shut tight, not wanting to have to face the reality of another crazy day just yet. Rolling over onto your side, you moved closer to your brother, burying your face in his chest to try and block out that uneasy feeling of someone's gaze upon your back.

Soft incoherent mumbles left Tsuna's lips when he felt your body move closer to his own, but the boy remained asleep, merely wrapping an arm around your waist to hold you in place so that you wouldn't shift around anymore. Allowing your body to relax, you released a small sigh in content, snuggling closer to your brother so that you could hear his gentle heart beat. It was your favorite lullaby of all time – the sound of Tsuna's beating heart.

You wanted nothing more than to remain here in this blissful state with your brother…but the feeling of that insistent staring ruined your warm and tender moment.

Begrudgingly, you lifted your head from Tsuna's chest and slowly opened your eyes, casting your gaze over your shoulder to see just who it was that had been staring at you for the past half hour (although you had a pretty good hunch as to 'who' exactly, it was).

"…Reborn," you groaned, turning your head away from said baby and allowing your body to fall lax against your sibling once again.

The small hit man arched a brow in amusement at your futile attempt to 'ignore' him. He remained silent for another moment to humor you, then, once he decided he had humored you enough, Reborn reached over and placed his hand on your back, giving your body a small shake.

"It's time to get up, Tsuya."

"…Let me sleep in longer, Reborn. I'm ti~ired," you whined pathetically, earning a light bop upside the head from the infant in reply.

Reborn hopped off of your bed, watching you with his deep onyx eyes as you slowly sat up. Once you directed your tired attention to him, Reborn decided to tell you what he came in here for. "You have someone waiting for you downstairs."

It took you a moment before Reborn's sentence finally lodged itself in your brain. "E-eh!? Why didn't you say so sooner?"

Reborn smiled in response, watching you scramble out of bed while trying your best not to wake up your dear brother. As expected, Tsuna remained out cold. The only sound that came from the boy was a small groan of disproval when he felt you leave his hold.

You rushed down the stairs, wondering who it was that had come to see you this early in the morning. The moment your feet met the last step of the stairs, you gracefully twisted your body to the right to perform a quick turn into the kitchen. Your arrival caught your mother's attention, causing the merry woman to turn from her cooking to send you a smile. "Ah, good morning, Tsu-chan. Did you sleep well?"

"Er, I suppose so…" you commented with a sweatdrop at your mother's unusual cheerfulness she seemed to have _every _morning.

Pleased with your response, Nana returned to her current task of cooking breakfast. "I was wondering when you were going to get up. Your friend is so patient, Tsu-chan. What a gentleman! He reminds me of the time your father…"

Although you love your mother dearly, having to hear her rant on and on about stories she has already told was getting to be a bit tiring for you and Tsuna. The two of you have learned to tune her out when she goes into 'story mode', but you keep up a polite facade to act as though you are listening – even though you aren't.

Deciding to find out who your 'mystery' guest was, you turned around and directed your attention to your family table. To your utter surprise, you found yourself staring at a pair of familiar green eyes. "Ah, Shou-chan!"

Shouichi grinned sheepishly, giving you a small wave before your mother appeared by his side and piled some more food on his plate. Your red headed friend stared at his gigantic serving, his green eyes sweeping in your direction in a silent plea for help. You couldn't blame the poor boy, really. Your whole table was swamped with different dishes that your mother had prepared for your guest. You often wonder why she goes to such lengths to feed a guest. A simple dish will do, not to mention a simple serving. This was going overboard, and poor Shouichi didn't know how to decline when your mother seemed to turn a deaf ear when he tried to inform her that he was full.

"Uh, Mrs. Sawada…I'm already full. There's no need to~"

Nana appeared to be blissfully ignorant to the fact that Shouichi was no longer hungry. "Nonsense! You're part of the family, Shou-chan. And as your future mother-in-law, it is my job to make sure you eat a healthy meal!" And with that said, your mother dropped another spoonful of fried eggs onto Shouichi's plate, apparently missing both his and your flushed expressions.

"Oka~ay, I think that's enough, mom!" you interrupted, stepping in and grabbing a hold of Shouichi's arm. The poor boy was still extremely flustered from your mother's last comment, so you took it upon yourself to pull the boy out of his seat and drag him towards the stairs. Reborn followed after you, smirking on in amusement from having witnessed the whole ordeal.

Once the two of you were in the clear (meaning out of your mother's earshot), you shot Shouichi an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that, Shou-chan. Mom is always trying to set Tsuna and me up with the opposite gender whenever we manage to bring someone home. You'd think you'd be used to that by now." You teased your friend playfully, earning a small pout from your friend in response.

Shouichi directed his attention to the floor, a light blush adorning his face. "It's still really embarrassing…I mean…d-do I really look like boyfriend material? My sis says it's a blessing I even have a girl for a friend."

After reaching the top floor, you released Shouichi's arm from your hold, giving your friend a reassuring pat on the back. "Don't worry about it, Shou-chan. My mom's just trying to get me and Tsuna into some mushy relationship like she and dad have, but we both agreed that we wouldn't tell her when we finally find ourselves in a serious relationship with someone. We decided to wait to until that 'special someone' of ours is emotionally stable before introducing them to our parents. You should've seen how our mom flipped when she found out that Tsuna had a crush – after that, we swore we wouldn't tell her _anything_ about our love lives."

Shouichi blinked owlishly for a moment, wondering what it would have been like to have been here to witness your mother gush nonstop about Tsuna's love life. That probably explains why you and Tsuna never have anyone over.

"What about you, Tsuya? Aren't you interested in anyone?" Shouichi asked you curiously, wondering if you already had a 'special someone' in mind, like Tsuna did with Kyoko.

Reborn decided to join in on the conversation. "Why? Do you fancy Tsuya?"

"I-I didn't mean it like that!!" Shouichi protested; his face flushed with embarrassment. Reborn eyed the boy for a moment before shrugging him off, deciding that he wouldn't push the matter any further than necessary – for now.

Shouichi warily eyed the infant trailing after the two of you. He was still uncomfortable with the 'hit man' hanging around but chose to put up with it for your sake. He wasn't the petty type, and he'd be damned if he decided to give up your friendship just because some kid from the 'mafia' entered your lives. Albeit, he did wonder what connections you and Tsuna could possibly have with the mafia. You two were the _last_ people he'd even bother to think as the type of people involved with such a dangerous force.

"Is it so hard to believe that Tsuna and Tsuya have ties with the mafia?"

"Ack~!" Shouichi nearly jumped out of his skin when he realized that Reborn was answering his previous thought. How could that baby have possibly known what he was thinking!? It was illogical. That's what it was! There is absolutely NO WAY he could…unless…

"…Have you ever considered having an exorcist over?"

You stared at your friend with an incredulous look upon your face, "…Uh."

Reborn eyed Shouichi for a moment before scoffing quietly to himself, "We have no need for such a thing. I_f_ there was ever a time that we should need so – I would _personally_ see to it myself."

Shouichi shuddered at Reborn's eerily calm tone, "…T-that's not what I meant."

Not bothering to interrogate the nervous boy by your side, Reborn casually entered your room with a new task set in mind. Both you and Shouichi followed silently after the young infant's form, wondering just what it was he intended to do. The young child walked over to your bed where your snoozing sibling still lay. Hopping up onto the furniture, Reborn placed his small hand on your brother's chest, giving the boy a small shake.

"Get up Tsuna. It's morning."

The only reply Reborn got from Tsuna was an irritated groan as the boy rolled over onto his side, his back facing Reborn. "Five more minutes…"

"I have no choice," Reborn huffed, hopping off of the bed and stalking over to his small suitcase. Both you and Shouichi watched on with curious expressions etched on your faces as Reborn changed into a doctor's outfit. "I'll have to use the Vongola family's traditional waking method."

"Eh? And what would that be?" you inquired, watching the young toddler shuffle back to Tsuna's side.

Reborn then held up a pair of tasers, silencing you and the boy beside you as both your faces paled. "Y-you aren't really going to _shock_ him with that thing, a-are you!?" Shouichi exclaimed with a mortified expression. A small smirk made its way onto Reborn's lips, the small gesture itself seemed to answer Shouichi's earlier question. "Oh dear lord…"

"Three…two…one…" Reborn counted down, slamming the tasers onto Tsuna's back.

Needless to say that Reborn's merciless method seemed to have done the trick it was designed to do. Tsuna immediately shot up out of bed with a loud shriek from the electric shock bestowed upon his body. Shouichi whimpered at the rather gruesome sight, taking a few steps back while his right hand flew to grasp a hold of the fabric covering his stomach. As for you, you were stunned to silence. Who knew Reborn was packing a taser?!

"What are you doing!?" Tsuna screamed, clutching the fabric over his heart while sending the hit man a rather heated glare.

"You're awake," Reborn acknowledged with a small nod of his head.

Tsuna didn't seem too pleased with his awakening. "Do you normally send electric shocks through someone's body just to wake them up!?"

"It's a good thing you even opened your eyes," Reborn commented, his eyes sparkling with amusement while gazing up at your brother, "sometimes people don't even wake up at all."

"That's because they die of shock…" Tsuna groaned pathetically, comical tears streaming down the poor boy's face.

Brushing off Tsuna's complaints, Reborn reached into his pocket to pull out a small handbook. "This is today's plan."

"Plan?" Tsuna shot Reborn a quizzical look before taking the small handbook that was presented to him. Curiosity getting the better of you, you trotted over to your brother's side and seated yourself beside him, leaning close to your sibling so that you could read over his shoulder. "In the morning it's the introduction of the new transfer student…in the afternoon there's going to be a volleyball tournament," Tsuna read aloud, informing both you and Shouichi of what was stored inside the little black book.

Once your brother was finished reading the book's contents, you shot Reborn a confused look. "How did you know what was going on at our school?"

Reborn remained silent for a moment while placing the book back in his coat pocket before he decided to answer your question. "I know _everything_ that goes on in both yours and Tsuna's lives," the hit man replied casually, causing both you and your sibling to slowly etch away from the insane baby.

"The volleyball tournament has nothing to do with me, though. I'm a substitute player," Tsuna piped up, still slightly disturbed with how much info Reborn was able to pull up on our history and whereabouts.

"But suddenly, they ran out of regular players…" Reborn retorted, having mysteriously changed back into his usual attire (how the hell does he do that anyway!?) "so the substitute of the substitute of the substitute of the substitute, namely you Tsuna, is going to play now."

In an instant Tsuna was Reborn's face, panic etched on his features from having heard this new revelation. "What!? Why?"

Reborn remained aloof, "Who knows."

Unwanted visuals flooded yours, Shouichi's, and Tsuna's minds at the thought of the possibilities Reborn could have performed to assure that Tsuna would participate in today's volleyball tournament. After all, the baby was a certified hit man, if none of you had witnessed his unbelievable ability to shoot someone so mercilessly without any remorse whatsoever, well…let's just say that all of you didn't really have a hard time coming to the conclusion that Reborn probably 'eliminated' the competition.

Tsuna looked disturbed beyond repair, "Reborn, is this because you…you couldn't have…" your sibling clutched his head in vain effort to try and block out the mental images his mind was projecting. Shouichi looked like he was ready to barf. His right hand flew to his mouth in a weak attempt to hold his stomach contents in, his face paling as his left hand clutched his belly to try and ease his nausea. Perhaps Shou-chan was right in advising an exorcist's assistance, you thought to yourself with a sweatdrop.

Reborn appeared to be amused by all of your expressions. Chuckling to himself, the infant turned his head to the side with a smirk, "Of course not."

The child's comment seemed to have relieved the tension in your room. Tsuna released a small sigh of relief, allowing his body to fall slack against your own form, "Yeah, that's right, even if you're a hit man you wouldn't go that far…" your brother relayed with a weak grin.

"It seems that everyone got a pizza delivery from the same place and they all ended up with stomach problems." Reborn informed all of you, earning some rather perplexed looks in reply.

What were the chances of that happening, anyway?!!

"T-there's no way that was coincidental!" Shouichi protested, immediately catching on that Reborn was behind this whole ordeal.

"So it really was your fault!" Tsuna shrieked, holding his head with both hands as tears streamed down his face at the realization that he now had to participate in the volleyball tournament this afternoon since the other players were now indisposed (thanks to Reborn)…

Said infant was now calmly stroking his chameleon's back, unconcerned with Tsuna's discomfort with today's plans. "This is all just so you can become a great Vongola family 10th Generation boss."

Shouichi's eyes widened in disbelief at what he just heard, "…V-vongola f-family? 10th G-generation boss?"

"Don't joke around! I'm terrible at ball sports! And I told you before, I'll never become a Mafia boss!" Tsuna argued, shooting Reborn a rather weak glare.

Shouichi gawked at the information being thrown about so carelessly of your family heritance. He couldn't believe what he was hearing! You and Tsuna…heirs to a mafia family?! T-there's just no way, right? You two were far too gentle natured to even be considered the type of people to run such a dangerous force. Not to mention the two of you were still enrolled in high school for Pete's sake! Since when did the mafia decide to enlist teenagers as the next possible candidates for the new boss!? Isn't this just some wild, crazy, fairytale scene pulled out from the 'God Father' or something? This was so messed up…

"This is your destiny…" Reborn replied simply, turning his deep gaze onto your sibling, "never give up on life."

Tsuna was just about fed up with all this talk of his 'destiny' he had been hearing ever since Reborn had showed up at your house. "I told you, I don't want some baby talking to me about my life!"

"Don't worry," Reborn consoled your brother, "I'll stick with you everywhere you go so you're trained well."

Releasing a frustrated cry, Tsuna turned his body away from Reborn and grabbed a hold of your hand, giving it rather hard squeeze to try and calm himself down. "That's what I'm worried about!"

[+]{+}[+]{+}[+]

"Ah, I wonder why Shou-chan was so distressed when we parted ways…" you mumbled to your brother in concern, placing your belongings into your school locker.

Tsuna's gentle brown orbs drifted over to your troubled form as he placed his gym clothes into his locker, closing the door once he was done. Ever since Reborn's insane deadly wakeup call this morning, Shouichi had been acting rather strange… he appeared to be more fidgety than usual, and whenever either you or Tsuna spoke to him he immediately tensed and averted his gaze to avoid looking either of you in the eye. His quick farewell was rather odd, seeing as how he would normally walk the both of you to your school before leaving for his own. It was like he was extremely nervous for some reason – perhaps an upcoming test that he just remembered he had? Tsuna shook the thought aside, no, Shouichi would _never_ forget a test. Just what had Shouichi so upset, anyway?

Tsuna's thoughts returned to you as he took notice of your concern for your friend. His heart gave a painful jolt at having to see you so upset. So like any good brother, Tsuna decided to try and cheer you up. "Eh, Tsuya…how's about we stop by the market on our way home?" your brother suggested, earning a confused look from you, "You need some more film for your camera, right? Also, that trinket store you always go to on the weekend just got a new shipment of those panda key chains you've been wanting."

Tsuna chuckled to himself at the adorable expression you wore on your face from wondering how he knew of your favorite store's new shipment. "I overhead it from mom," Tsuna informed you with a grin.

"Ah~" you blinked owlishly for a moment, allowing Tsuna's offer to sink in. "Ohmygosh! You'd actually take me _shopping!?_"

Tsuna released a small puff of air after realizing that you hadn't gone out to shop for some supplies for quite a while now, meaning that he'd probably be stuck jumping from store to store as you browsed around for your wacky penpal, and probably another gift for himself (seeing as how you i_always_/i seem to buy him some kind of adorable trinket whenever you go out – which, by the way, he's running out of room to put his 'valuable' collection). But then again, it seems to really make you happy when the two of you go out shopping together…so if it means having to give up a few hours of his life to join you on your 'quest' – so be it. All that matters to him is your happiness…

"Why not?" Tsuna replied with a grin, his heart instantly swelling up at the sight of your brilliant smile. "We could use some time to ourselves, ne?"

You tackled your brother into an enormous bear hug, nearly squeezing the life out of your poor twin but you were far too absorbed in your own happiness to notice. "Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU!"

"T-T-Tsuya…" your sibling wheezed, "…a-air…I…n-need…a-a-air…!"

"Whoops!" you immediately released your brother from your hold, causing Tsuna to gasp for air. "Sorry, Nii-san…" you apologized with a sheepish grin, earning a rather somewhat amused look from the boy in return as he continued to refill his lungs with oxygen.

"…Your hugs are going to kill me one day, sis." Tsuna mused with a weak grin, standing straight once he had finally regained his breath.

"Be blessed then, dear brother, for you shall die from _love._"

Tsuna laughed softly to himself, extending his arm and placing his right hand atop of your head and ruffling your hair in an affectionate matter – a habit he seemed to have picked up when he was younger and was in no way soon going to give it up. "I wouldn't have it any other way, sis," Tsuna mumbled lightly, allowing his hand to drift from your head and latch onto your hand, giving it a tender squeeze.

"Good morning, Tsuna-kun, Tsuya-chan," a chipper voice called out to the two of you, breaking your fond moment together.

The two of you turned your heads to see Kyoko walking up with a bright smile on her face. You glanced at your sibling, a knowing smile appearing on your lips when you caught sight of your twin's flustered appearance. Tsuna looked star struck, so it took a small nudge from you to snap him out of his daze. "G-good morning, Kyoko-chan," Tsuna stuttered, earning a small giggle from you in amusement with how nervous your brother was.

"Did you know there's going to be a transfer student in our class?" Kyoko asked curiously.

"Oh yea, it was on Reborn's schedule." Tsuna recalled, blinking for a moment as he remembered today's events.

Kyoko was apparently very excited about the new student joining your class. She leaned in with a smile, her eyes shining brightly in wonderment with just 'who' exactly this new transfer student was. "I wonder what they're like. Do you think it's a girl or a boy?"

"W-who knows…" Tsuna chuckled nervously, appearing to be a little uncomfortable with how close he was to Kyoko. So, deciding to be the good twin that you are, you pulled Tsuna back along with you, causing the poor boy to stumble for a few steps before finally regaining his balance.

"Well, there's only one way to found out~!" you chirped, bounding off to your class with Tsuna and Kyoko in tow.

[+]{+}[+]{+}[+]

"I'll introduce the new transfer student," your teacher informed the class, gesturing to the young man standing beside him. He had silver hair – something you were unaccustomed to, seeing as how this was your first time ever seeing someone with the actual hair color – he was on the tall side (something both you and your twin seemed to lack), his clothes were a pair of simple jeans, and a red shirt covered by a white over shirt. His face was set to a scowl, but oddly enough, it appeared to be…rather attractive. You almost banged your head on your desk from having to admit such a thing, earning a rather odd look from your sibling in reply. "He was studying abroad in Italy until now, his name is…Gokudera Hayato-kun."

"Wow, he's so hot."

"On top of that he's moved from another country."

The class immediately broke out into gossip upon the new transfer student's arrival. Apparently, Gokudera had already won the hearts of all the girls in the room – excluding yourself and Kyoko, of course. Why is it that all the girls in your school usually fawn over the 'cute' boys? Were 'looks' really all that mattered to them? What about what's on the _inside?_ You rolled your eyes at the thought, there's just no way these girls would ever push 'looks' aside to look for something deeper. They just didn't seem to care…

"Italy would also be Reborn's home country…" Tsuna muttered under his breath to you, easily gaining your attention.

"Do you think they'd know each other?" you asked your brother curiously.

Before Tsuna had time to respond, a shadow was cast over the two of you, causing you both to turn your heads to see that the shadow belonged to none other than Gokudera. The disgruntled teen's lips were set to a permanent scowl, his eyes narrowed in irritation as he gazed down at your brother. The room fell silent, everyone directing their attention to the three of you.

"T-Tsuya…" your brother whimpered pathetically, his confidence seeming to shatter under the newbie's fierce glare.

"Is there something you need?" you questioned in a firm tone, eyeing the silver haired teen that was making your brother uncomfortable.

Gokudera's eyes drifted over and lingered on you for a moment before settling themselves back on Tsuna. "W-what? M-me!?" your brother squeaked in fear, pointing to himself when he finally realized that Gokudera's attention was solely focused on him. As if to answer Tsuna's question, Gokudera roughly kicked your brother's desk sending the small piece of furniture toppling over along with your twin.

"W-what the hell?" Tsuna whimpered, propping himself up with the help of his elbows. "D-did I do something?"

Oh-ho, first day at school and already Gokudera has placed himself in your little black book of 'doom'.

"Why you son of a-!!" you hissed, already out of your seat before anyone could blink. Grabbing the first thing you could swipe off your desk, you chucked it at Gokudera's head with all the force you could muster. Unfortunately, the Italian easily caught your 'weapon' with his right hand. You silently cursed this boy's fast reflexes, your right eye twitching in annoyance as the silver haired teen inspected the item you chucked at him. His eyes flashed with amusement upon realizing that it was an adorable chibi panda eraser. Expecting him to toss your belonging back to you, your eyes widened in disbelief as Gokudera pocketed the small item.

"Gokudera-kun! Your seat is…Gokudera-kun!" the teacher called out, trying his best to gain the unruly teen's attention.

Gokudera stuffed his hands in his pockets, casting you one last amused look before his eyes returned to their irritated gaze, and he stalked off towards his seat in the back of the class.

"…Weirdo," you grumbled to yourself, highly displeased with the fact that, 1) you weren't able to smack him, and 2) that he had taken your favorite eraser that your penpal had given you. Tossing your agitated thoughts aside, you turned your attention to your brother, your look of annoyance immediately morphing into a look of concern. Bending down, you held out your hand for your brother and helped him up. "Are you okay, Nii-san?"

Tsuna released a small sigh as he picked up his desk and slumped down into the seat, "…I think I just made a new enemy, Tsuya."

The boy seated on Tsuna's right leaned in, "You know him, Tsuna?"

"O-of course not…" Tsuna replied in a shaky tone, still a little roughed up from his first encounter with the transfer student.

The boy nodded his head in understanding, "He's definitely no good."

"That's his good part."

"His scary-ness makes me go numb!"

"We're definitely making a fan club!"

Ugh! These girls were driving you nuts! How could they possibly like a jerk like Gokudera, anyway? You just couldn't understand how their incompetent minds work. If only Hibari would make a new rule, preferably one that discourages these girls from gossiping so much. Ah yes~ you grinned to yourself at the thought of the school's prefect 'biting them to death' for their silly nonsense. What a sight that would be…

Tsuna meekly cast a glance over his shoulder at Gokudera, only to squeak in fear when he realized that Gokudera was glaring daggers at him in return. "What is it? Why me!?" your twin wailed, holding his head with both hands as tears streamed down his face.

Upon seeing your sibling in such a distressed state, you turned your body slightly so that you could see the cause of Tsuna's fear. As expected, there was Gokudera. Releasing a small, low, irritated growl, you made sure you caught the boy's eye before suddenly flipping him off. Ha! Beat that, newbie! You childishly stuck out your tongue and pulled your right eye lid down, making a quite "bleh" sound. "Take that, silver locks," you mumbled to yourself, twisting your body so that you were once again sitting properly.

You were unable to catch the barely audible chuckle coming from a highly amused Gokudera seated in the back of the class, his olive eyes locked on your small form, watching you pass notes with your brother to pass the time.

[+]{+}[+]{+}[+]

"Augh! I'm such an _idiot!!_"

BANG.

Spanner directed his lazy gaze to the distressed redheaded boy beside him who was currently bashing his head on his locker, muttering incoherent words to himself under his breath while doing so. This was highly unusual considering this was coming from Shouichi. Spanner just had to wonder what had happened this morning to have made his ingenious friend so distraught. The only thing he was currently debating with himself was whether or not he should ask what was wrong.

"Shou-chan," Spanner called to his friend, arching a brow as said boy banged his head against his locker one last time before directing his irritated gaze to his friend. "Did something happen this morning?"

No sooner were the words uttered from the blonde boy's mouth, a cloud of depression suddenly appeared over Shouichi's head, startling Spanner at how easily his companion was put off.

"…I'll take that as a 'yes' then?" Spanner mumbled to himself with a sweatdrop.

Shouichi slumped forward, his right hand grasping the clothing that covered his stomach. Spanner immediately knew what this meant. Apparently something was stressing Shouichi, which then caused him to get his unusual stomach aches he got only when under extreme pressure. Now, _what_ was stressing the boy, Spanner did not know. The blonde racked his brain for any hints to what had transpired this morning. What could have happened to his friend? Let's see…Shou-chan had gone on his usual routine of visiting the Sawada household to accompany the twins on their walk to school. However, Spanner had recalled Shouichi arriving at school earlier than usual – meaning that something must have happened this morning with the Sawadas.

"So, Shou-chan…" Spanner began, twirling his cherry flavored lollipop around in his mouth, "how are the Sawada twins?"

**"I SWEAR I KNOW **_**NOTHING!!**_**"**

Spanner eyed his friend oddly, a little surprised from the boy's sudden outburst. "Should I be concerned…?"

Shouichi's eyes frantically scanned the hallway as if expecting some kind of ambush to suddenly occur in the next few seconds. Realizing that such a thing was not going to take place anytime soon, Shouichi released a small strained sigh, his shoulders falling slack just slightly, his body still portraying the stress he was currently feeling. Removing his glasses from his face, Shouichi squeezed the bridge of his nose in an effort to try and calm himself down. "Ah, Spanner…I think I'm way in over my head."

Spanner arched a brow, "Oh? How so, Shou-chan?"

Shouichi placed his glasses back on, his eyes expressing a rather guilty look. "Tsuna has a, er, new _tutor_ following him and Tsuya around. He's a really dangerous fellow. One could say he's got a…_hitman_ personality. It's crazy! And his methods are totally unorthodox! He's able to dig up _any_ kind of information he wants – and recently…he dug up Tsuya's and Tsuna's heritance."

"…I'm not getting where this is going, Shou-chan," Spanner informed his friend, his brows furrowing in concentration, "Are you telling me you're uptight because of Tsuna's new tutor? Or disturbed by the fact that he was able to uncover the Sawadas' heritance?"

"Augh~! It's _both!!_" Shouichi exclaimed in distress, waving his arms in a rather hysterical manner. "I was so freaked out that I bailed on Tsuya and Tsuna in the middle of our walk. They don't even know why I ditched them in the first place and it's driving me _insane!_ I bet I hurt Tsuya's feelings…argh, I'm a _terrible _friend!"

Spanner watched his friend spazz while he slowly soaked in all of the information mentioned like a sponge.

So is _that_ what had Shou-chan so uptight?

It finally clicked for Spanner. "Ah, I see. You're concerned for Tsuya, eh?"

Shouichi ceased his ranting, his face instantly flushing in embarrassment. "S-s-spanner! I'm not…I mean, she's…I…"

Spanner casually twisted the lollipop around in his mouth, his blue eyes locked on his stuttering companion. "If you're so worried about her…why don't you go see her and apologize for your behavior this morning? I'm sure she'll understand."

"I…I d-d-don't know, Spanner. Maybe I should just…" Shouichi mumbled, trailing off as he averted his gaze to the ground.

Growing a little tired of his friend's indecisiveness, Spanner decided for him. "Quit wallowing and just go see the girl, Shou-chan."

[+]{+}[+]{+}[+]

"Wah~" you stretched your sore limbs after having to sit through a grueling two hours of algebra. The bell had just rung and everyone had scattered from the classroom to get some good seats for the game that would be talking place any minute now. You had remained by your sibling's side, knowing full well that he wasn't planning on getting up anytime soon considering the fact that he was a nervous wreck. Poor boy. You loved your brother dearly, so seeing Tsuna so nervous naturally made you feel overprotective of him at the moment, especially since there was that new kid who apparently had it out for your poor brother.

"Tsuuu~yaaaa!" your twin whined pathetically, his upper body sprawled about lazily upon his desk. "I'm so tired from nervousness…"

Shooting your brother a sympathetic look, you patted your sibling's back in a small effort to try and cheer him up. "Don't worry about it, Nii-san. I'm sure you'll do just fine."

Tsuna forced his eyes to open, casting his gaze in your direction. "Tsuya, you'll be there won't you?"

You could sense the fear and anxiety radiating off of your brother like a wildfire. His voice had wavered a bit when he had asked you that question, informing you that he was nothing but a nervous wreck and that he simply wanted you to remain by his side so that he wouldn't feel any worse than he already did. Apparently you seemed to have some calming effect on your dear sibling, so having you near calmed him down tremendously, resulting in him being able to remain somewhat stable.

Flashing a brilliant smile, you gave your brother a thumbs up. "Like I'd ever leave your side, Nii-san. You were forever bound to me since the day of our birth. Like it or not, you're stuck with me till the ends of time – probably even longer than that if possible. Haha~"

Your bubbly response immediately had an effect on Tsuna. He appeared to be quite pleased with your answer (as if the heartwarming smile he gave you wasn't proof enough). "I love you, Tsuya."

You giggled in response, grabbing Tsuna's right hand and giving it a tender squeeze. "I love you too, Nii-san. "

The two of you remained silent for the next couple of minutes, simply enjoying the time spent together with one another, at least, until Yamamoto made his presence known by lightly tapping your sibling's shoulder to gain the boy's attention.

"Huh?" Tsuna glanced over his shoulder to see the volleyball team gazing expectantly at him.

"We're counting on you today, Tsuna!" Yamamoto informed your brother with one of his infamous grins.

Tsuna appeared to be confused, apparently forgetting why the baseball captain and volleyball team were counting on him in the first place. "C-counting on me for…"

"The volleyball tournament, of course," the raven haired boy standing behind Yamamoto responded.

A look of realization crossed your brother's face once he allowed the information to finally sink in. However, Tsuna turned his gaze towards Yamamoto as his adorable expression of confusion reappeared on his face. "I didn't know you played volleyball too, Yamamoto."

The boy with on Yamamoto's left decided to answer for him. "Even though baseball is his club activity, he's still good at other sports too."

"You've been awesome lately," Yamamoto complimented your brother with a wide smile, "I can't wait to see you in action."

Tsuna released a small noise of surprise, causing you to turn your head slightly and glance at your sibling with a curious expression etched on your face. It was then you noticed the glazed look in your brother's eyes as he remembered his match with Mochida. Ever since that fight, everyone had actually begun to respect your twin. They had even stopped calling him that horrid nickname 'no-good Tsuna'. On the other hand, though, people were apparently expecting more great things from your sibling since then. Perhaps that's why your brother was so uptight? He wasn't normally the type to deal with such high expectations from others, so this was a rather huge step for him.

"We can't wait for today's match," Yamamoto spoke up, snapping your bother out of his thoughts, "be sure to show us that power again."

A light blush managed to sneak its way onto Tsuna's face, earning a snicker from you in return. How cu~ute! Your brother was embarrassed from all of the attention he was receiving from the baseball captain. It was absolutely adorable! Your twin was just too darn modest for his own good. Hm, that would probably explain why you spoil him so darn much, huh? Go figure.

"Wait no…that was…" Tsuna began to interject, timidly waving his left hand to dismiss all the current praise he was receiving while still continuing to hold a firm grip on your hand in the process.

"Yeah, you were so cool, Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko interrupted your twin, shooting the boy a brilliant smile.

Hana joined her friend's side, also revealing a rare smile for the occasion. "After that no one's called you 'no good Tsuna'."

"That's true…" Tsuna mumbled to himself, furrowing his brows in thought.

"Do your best. I'll be rooting for you." Kyoko informed your brother, flashing him another one of her dazzling smiles.

Tsuna appeared to be quite flustered from all of the sudden attention he was receiving. "O-okay, leave it to me!"

His response seemed to have pleased the others. You, on the other hand, could immediately tell that Tsuna was beyond disturbed by all of the faith everyone was placing in him. Giving your twin's hand a gentle, encouraging squeeze, you shot your brother a grin when he turned his soft gaze your way. You could feel your sibling tighten his grip on your hand in response, gracing you with a small grin of his own. Tsuna seemed to calm down slightly after your small, silent interaction with one another. Pleased with your accomplishment, you turned your attention back to the group standing before you, completely unaware of the steely gaze aimed at your loveable twin from the back of the classroom from none other than Gokudera Hayato.

The unruly teen had his chin placed in the palm of his right hand as he narrowed his olive eyes. _*Let's see if what happened before wasn't a fluke.*_

[+]{+}[+]{+}[+]

"This is just turning out to be one giant mistake~" your twin groaned pathetically, allowing you to pull off his shirt so that you could help him change into his gym clothes. "Why did Reborn go and mess everything up!?"

You laughed at the distressed tone of your frantic brother. Giving a small shake of your head, you helped him into his gym shirt, your small hands drifting down the soft fabric to rid the wrinkles while marveling at your brother's lithe body in the process. Honestly, you'd have to fatten Tsuna up a bit with some good ol' fashion chocolate. Either that, or help him build some muscle so that he'd be able to defend himself in case he ran into trouble. You chuckled at the thought, remembering that it was for that reason why Reborn showed up in the first place – to toughen your brother up.

Tsuna shot you a curious glance, wondering what you found so humorous. When he didn't receive a response from you after staring silently at you for a few moments, he released a small annoyed huff, a bit miffed that your attention wasn't solely focused on him at the moment since you seemed to be lost in your own thoughts. Deciding to take matters into his own hands to try and regain your attention, Tsuna gently grabbed a hold your hands that were currently smoothing out his shirt, and held them still.

"Tsuuuuya~"

Blinking owlishly at the childish tone Tsuna used when calling your name, you directed your gaze to your brother, finally taking notice of his slightly annoyed appearance when you realized that you hadn't really been listening to him. "Eh heh…sorry, Nii-san," you apologized with a weak grin, earning a rather exasperated look from said boy in response.

"You could at least try and make me feel better, Tsuya…" your sibling muttered under his breath.

"Okay, okay," you sighed, gently pulling your hands out of your brother's grasp. Tsuna's brown orbs followed your movement as you leaned forward and placed an affectionate kiss on his cheek. Once you were done, you pulled back and shot the boy a dazzling smile. "There, how was that?"

"…" Tsuna stared at you for a moment, his chocolate eyes shimmering brightly after your little stunt. It was then he realized that he wasn't as upset as he had been moments before. Allowing a grin to slowly appear on his lips, Tsuna couldn't help but feel much better after your attempt to please him. "Thanks, sis "

"Just doing my job, Nii-san," you giggled childishly, your heart swelling with joy when Tsuna returned the favor and placed a kiss on your cheek in reply.

"Say, Tsuya…" your brother softly called your name, "Would you mind helping me look for Reborn?"

"Hm? I thought you wanted to distance yourself from the crazy baby," you noted curiously, watching Tsuna laugh nervously at the thought of actually searching for the deranged infant.

"That's true…but I honestly don't think I'll stand a chance today without the Dying Will bullet," Tsuna admitted with a sigh. "Normally I'd just bail, but there are so many people counting on me today. The pressure's already getting to me…and I doubt I'll be of any use to the team unless Reborn shoots me."

You couldn't help but smile at your brother's innocence. "You seem like you really thought this through, Nii-san."

"Unfortunately…" Tsuna muttered under his breath, casting his gaze to the ground.

"Well no worries~" you hummed, taking a hold of your twin's hand. "Let's go find Reborn!"

"Y-yeah," Tsuna smiled at your uplifting attitude, tightening his hold on your hand as you began to lead him out the door in search of the Italian infant.

[+]{+}[+]{+}[+]

"How hard can it be to find one psychotic baby?!" you exclaimed in an exasperated tone, throwing your hands in the air in mock defeat after both you and your twin had searched for Reborn for a good twenty minutes. Honestly, it wasn't that hard to spot an infant clad in a well dressed suit, but then again…this is _Reborn_ you're talking about. Surely that baby only made his presence known when he wanted it to be. Otherwise, it's probably just a waste of time to even bother looking for him.

Tsuna seemed to be coming to the same conclusion as you. Frustrated with the lack of success the two of you were currently having, Tsuna slowed down to a stop, his eyes scanning the empty hallway that you were currently occupying. "Weird, I thought he was supposed to be keeping an eye on us wherever we went," your brother huffed in irritation.

Opening your mouth to make a comment, you stopped yourself when you suddenly picked up the scent of coffee brewing. How strange… just _where_ exactly was that smell coming from, anyway? You and Tsuna were nowhere near the cafeteria, so that possibility gets tossed out the window. You cast your confused gaze at your twin. Tsuna appeared to be as baffled as you were.

"Huh? What's that smell?" your brother, directed his gaze towards the fire hydrant located on the left side of the hall. The two of you exchanged brief glances before knelling down on the ground to get a better look at this strange occurrence. Tsuna placed his ear against fire hydrant, his brows furrowing together in confusion when he heard the sound of coffee brewing from the inside. It was then the front lid slammed open, startling both you and your twin.

"Ciaossu," Reborn greeted casually from within your school's fire hydrant cabinet.

You couldn't help but gawk at the sight before you. Reborn had actually managed to build an extraordinary room within the school's emergency supply. The infant was currently sitting at a coffee table, leisurely sipping his cup of freshly brewed coffee while casting both you and Tsuna a fleeting glance.

"I'm having my coffee break now." Reborn informed the two of you.

Tsuna appeared to be highly disturbed with Reborn's choice of location. "Why are you in there!?"

"I have secret hiding places all over the school." Reborn replied smoothly, taking another sip from his coffee while acting aloof.

"When did you have time to do that?" Tsuna groaned, running a hand down his face at the thought of Reborn creating various hiding spots throughout your school. "O-oh right, never mind that. Shoot me with the Dying Will bullet! I have a volley ball tournament next. I have to look good in front of Kyoko-chan!"

Reborn shot your brother an odd look. "I can shoot you but you'll die."

"Say what!?" you gapped, eyeing the small infant in disbelief.

"Yeah, I'll die," Tsuna chuckled, obviously not taking the seriousness of the situation into account. He then paused for a moment, rerunning his sentence again in his head after realizing how wrong that had sounded. "Wait, WHAT!?"

Reborn pulled the famous red bullet out from his pocket, holding it up for you and your brother to see. "If you don't have any regrets when you are hit with the Dying Will bullet, you won't revive. Do you think someone like you who's gotten so overconfident after all the flattery will have any regrets?"

Tsuna's face instantly paled. "Oh right. That means…" your brother trailed off, realization finally hitting him hard. Releasing a frustrated scream, Tsuna grabbed a hold of his head with both hands as his eyes snapped shut. "The Dying Will bullet is useless!"

Reborn's chameleon crawled onto his hand, flashing with light as it began to transform into Reborn's infamous weapon. The infant then aimed his gun at your twin, startling both you and Tsuna in the process. "Do you still want to give it a try? If you're lucky you'll die without pain." Reborn taunted with a smile.

"You're crazy!" you retorted with an irk mark, shielding your sibling with your arm.

Reborn shrugged innocently, acting as if he had done nothing wrong as Leon glowed with light and transformed back into his old self. "Well then good luck, hero."

The lid to the fire hydrant then slammed shut, ending your conversation with the hitman.

Allowing your body to slowly ease into a relaxed stance after coming to the conclusion that there was no longer any potential harm aimed at your beloved twin, you lowered your arm and released a small sigh. "Well, that was no help whatsoever," you stated aloud, earning a deflated look from Tsuna in response once he realized that he was completely on his own today without any help from the "Dying Will Bullet".

"W-w-what do I do…" Tsuna groaned pathetically, dropping his head and beginning his walk of 'shame' down the hall with you in tow, "I've just stopped being called 'no good Tsuna'. If I mess up this game then it'll just go back to how it was before," he informed you, his tone laced with pure glum at the mere thought of your classmates returning to their cruel ways of relentlessly teasing him. Shaking his head while trying his best to repress a shudder, Tsuna halted in his tracks, a look of determination crossing his face. "Right, this means…"

_"I'll just have to run away, thinks Tsuna."_

"What the-" you began, watching on with a sweatdrop as Tsuna nodded his head in agreement with the voice.

"That's my only option!" Tsuna declared, slamming his right fist into the palm of his left hand.

_"But that would mean betraying Kyoko-chan, who was excited about the match."_

Tsuna sighed, the thought hitting him like a ton of bricks when he suddenly remembered that Kyoko was expecting him to play in today's game. He had already just gained her approval, and to have to throw it away by ditching the volley ball game would surely disappoint Kyoko – and that was something Tsuna just couldn't bear the thought of. "Yeah, that's the problem…" Tsuna released a puff of air, dropping his head in shame for moment, before his head suddenly snapped up and whipped around to stare wide-eyed at the infant perched atop of his left shoulder with a miniature megaphone in hand. "Eh, Reborn!?"

Lowering his megaphone from Tsuna's ear, Reborn shot the boy an 'innocent' smile. "I'm speaking for your heart."

Tsuna didn't seem at all pleased with the infant's persistence. "You don't need to voice it out!"

Paying no mind to the boy's angered shouts, Reborn hopped off of Tsuna's shoulder and landed gracefully on the ground. Turning his body a bit so that he could face his pupil, Reborn decided to share his 'words of wisdom'. "If you're a man, you'll choose death over running away."

"Don't say something that irresponsible just because you're not involved," Tsuna retorted in a rather short tone, clenching his left hand into a fist while staring at the toddler with a look of disdain.

"No one will laugh if they see someone who's using all their strength and will," was Reborn's rebuttal, earning a look of surprise from your sibling at the wise choice of words the infant used, "that's a man's battle."

Your gaze drifted over to Tsuna, instantly taking notice of the impressed expression etched on his face. You couldn't really blame him. Reborn had managed to surprise the i_both_/i of you with his maturity, despite the fact that he was still a mere child. On the upside, Reborn's words seemed to have allowed Tsuna to come to a conclusion.

"Reborn…"

[+]{+}[+]{+}[+]

You and Tsuna found yourselves standing before the door of the school's gym building. Neither one of you made any move whatsoever to open the door, instead, you both just stood there in silence, allowing the situation to finally sink in after your brief encounter with Reborn. While you were so proud of Tsuna for deciding to swallow his fear and bravely step up to the plate to play alongside the volleyball team, a small part of you couldn't help but feel concerned. Concerned by the fact that, as much as you dearly loved your twin, Tsuna simply sucked at sports – he didn't have an athletic bone in his body. Sure, he'll be able to live with himself after deciding to just go through with this commitment despite the fact that he'll probably fail horrifically and lose all of the respect he had just earned, but Tsuna doesn't deserve the relentless teasing that will surely smack him in the face tomorrow for his lack of ability to play sports accurately.

All in all, this whole scenario seemed to suck – well, in your opinion, at least.

"So…" Tsuna began in a rather small tone, "I gave in to Reborn again…"

You gave your brother a sympathetic grin, giving his hand a light squeeze to reassure him that everything would be all right. Tsuna gave a light squeeze of his own, telling you in silent gesture, that he appreciated your concern.

"Since it came to this I'll just have to get it over with quickly." Tsuna groaned, reaching his free hand out to grasp the handle of the door and slide it open.

The sound that greeted the two you was enthusiastic screams and shouts the moment the door was opened, startling you and Tsuna at the unexpected attention being thrown your way. You felt Tsuna's hand tighten its grip on your own in a rather painful matter when you both noticed how pumped the crowd was upon your sibling's arrival. Large signs etched with Tsuna's name and the words 'FIGHT' could be seen throughout the gym as student screamed your brother's name, pumping their fists into the air to try and rile Tsuna up for the match. Oddly enough, instead of actually _encouraging_ Tsuna like everyone had planned, this all had the _opposite _effect. You pitied your twin when you felt his uneasiness grow tremendously with all of the belief everyone was putting in him to win the match.

"Fight Tsuna!"

"The team's secret weapon's here!"

"T-they're really depending on me…" Tsuna squeaked, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face as he inched closer to you to try and hide himself from everyone's view.

"Tsuna-kun, do your best!" Kyoko cheered.

"Come on, Nii-san," you gently chided the nervous boy, giving his hand a small tug while taking a step forward to lead your brother into the gym. Tsuna obediently followed you without a sound of protest. He only inched closer to you yet again, desperate to try and calm himself down by remaining close to your side. You led Tsuna over towards his team, but came to a halt by the sidelines where the crowd gathered since they weren't allowed to cross the lines bordering the area for the volleyball court. Seeing as how you were merely a bystander and not a certified teammate, you decided that this was as far as you should go. Casting a glance at your twin, you shot him a smile and nodded your head over towards his team. Tsuna didn't seem to take the hint. Instead, he remained glued to your hip, refusing to a take another step further unless you came along with him.

"Don't leave me, Tsuya. Please…not yet…" Tsuna mumbled timidly, tightening his hold on your hand.

"Nii-san…" you didn't bother to pester Tsuna on the subject, instead, you granted his wish and accompanied him on the walk over to his team.

Yamamoto's face instantly lit up the moment you two reached his group. "We've been waiting for you, Tsuna!"

Another player on Yamamoto's left nodded his head in agreement. "Show us your awesome skills!"

Tsuna merely chuckled nervously in reply, his feeling of anxiety skyrocketing. He let his gaze drift over the members of the volleyball team, only to nearly have his eyes bulge out of their sockets when his gaze landed on a new member: Gokudera Hayato.

"G-Gokudera-kun's here, too!?" Tsuna meeped, almost fainting on the spot if it wasn't for your firm squeeze on his hand, silently telling him to calm down.

As much as you hated to have to leave your brother, you noticed that Kyouya was giving you that certain 'look' of his, clearly telling you that you ought to scram before he 'bite's you to death' for remaining on court when the game was just about to begin. Knowing it was probably best to heed Hibari's warnings, you released Tsuna's hand from your hold, giving him a quick reassuring pat on the shoulder before leaning over and planting a tender kiss on his cheek for good luck. "Knock 'em dead, Nii-san!"

You tried to ignore the pitiful look of desperation Tsuna sent you, focusing your attention on the silver haired man that was currently scowling at your beloved twin. You walked by Gokudera, making sure your shoulder roughly bumped into him as you sent him a dark look before giving him a low warning, "Mess with my brother and I promise you that when I get a hold of ya…you'll find yourself unable to walk for the remainder of the week, got it!?"

Satisfied with your threat, you turned your attention away from the delinquent, completely missing the look of pure amusement that was gracing the young man's face as you made your way back to the crowd.

"We will now begin the match against Year 1 Class A and Year 1 Class C!" the referee called out, just before the whistle blew and the game began.

The opposing team made the first shot. You watched on in anticipation as the volleyball was hurled towards Tsuna's direction. _'Nii-san…'_ you thought frantically to yourself, taking notice of your brother's unsure expression, easily telling you that he had no idea as to what it was he was supposed to do. Luckily, Yamamoto pulled through for Tsuna by diving in front of the boy and slamming his fist into the ball, sending it soaring back to the opposing side while Yamamoto performed a small roll before catching his balance and shooting Tsuna a thumbs up. The crowd erupted in cheers after witnessing Yamamoto's amazing save. Meanwhile, you found yourself releasing a loud sigh of relief, extremely pleased that Yamamoto was watching out for Tsuna.

"As expected from Yamamoto of the baseball club!"

"Takeshi!"

Yamamoto laughed, waving back to the crowd which only seemed to increase in sound when everyone realized that he was paying attention to them. Giving a small roll of your eyes at the swooning girls around you, you jumped when you felt someone grab a hold of your arm. Whirling around to tell the creep off, you were surprised when your brown orbs meet green ones. "S-Shou-chan!?"

"Tsuya, I need to talk with you…" Shouichi urged, his eyes reflecting his eagerness to catch your attention. You faltered for a moment, mulling over the option of having the chance to talk with Shouichi and see just what it was that had startled him so horribly earlier this morning, or remain stationed at your spot like you promised Tsuna, and help support him during his time of need. It seemed as though Shouichi decided for you, causing you to stumble forward for a moment as the boy began to frantically drag you towards the entrance of the gym.

Neither one of you seemed to catch Tsuna's panicked look when he realized that you were leaving.

[+]{+}[+]{+}[+]

"S-shou-chan, slow down! Take it easy!" you yelped in surprise, helplessly being dragged along by your red headed friend. Once the two of you were outside and away from any possible eavesdroppers, Shouichi released your wrist from his iron hold. You watched on with a quizzical expression as the boy began to wring his hands together nervously, his handsome eyes averted from your gaze. Arching a brow at your dear friend's strange behavior, you took a small step forward, reaching your hand out to place it on Shouichi's shoulder to try and calm the poor boy down. However, just before you were able to place your hand down, Shouichi's head shot up, catching you by surprise.

"Look, I know I have no proper excuse for my behavior earlier this morning, but I was really wigged out!! I mean, after yesterday's events…and that weird baby…Tsuna having died and then miraculously brought back to life…you actually having ties with the _mafia!!_ AUGH!! It's too much! There's NO WAY you and Tsuna can actually be _related_ to a mafia family, right?! I mean, that's just plain wrong! You two are way too innocent to even be caught mixing with those unruly people! That baby – he's EVIL! There just no other explanation. How can an infant possibly be a hitman, anyway?! Isn't it illegal to carry guns around!? How is that kid packing so much ammo? And how in the seven pits of hell does that deranged baby even _know_ you guys?!! This can't be happening! It's just some weird bizarre dream right? Right!?"

You blinked owlishly, trying your best to take in everything Shouichi had just ranted right now.

"Augh, no – wait! That's not what I meant to say!!" Shouichi panicked, waving his arms around frantically, "I meant to say that I'm sorry for bailing out on you this morning. I didn't mean to! I was just…what I mean to say is…no…ugh!"

Shouichi's hands latched on to his head as his eyes snapped shut, his body quivering from the meltdown he was currently having. Not a second later, the boy crumbled to the ground while his hands instantly released their hold on his head to clutch his stomach as he doubled over in pain.

"H-hey!" you yelped, immediately rushing over to your friend's side.

"Ugh…why is…this…so hard…?" Shouichi groaned pathetically, taking the hand you had offered him to help assist him in sitting up.

"Don't push yourself so hard, Shou-chan," you softly chided your friend, giving him a small reassuring pat on the back to try and help calm him down. "You don't have to say anything. I forgive you."

Shouichi slumped back in defeat, allowing his body to lean against your own for support. "How can you say that? I've been such a horrible friend to you! How can you possibly forgive me for the way I treated you and Tsuna this morning?!"

You chuckled quietly to yourself, extremely touched by the thought that Shouichi had been so worried for both you and your brother. Leaning your head on Shouichi's shoulder, you wrapped your arms around the boy's torso, giving him a tender hug. "'Why'? Do you even have to ask, Shou-chan? You're my best friend. I'll always forgive you, it's what friends do. I treasure our friendship more than any silly argument we might have. So don't worry so much and just enjoy the time we have together, k? There's no reason to make yourself sick over this, you geeky nerd~"

The tension in Shouichi's body instantly dispersed as he fell slack against your small form. You couldn't help but giggle at the tired sigh that escaped the boy's lips after he realized how foolish he had been. A smile wormed its way on to your face when you felt Shouichi's hand place itself over your own small one and give it a tender squeeze of his own. "…What did I ever do to deserve such a wonderful friend like you, Tsuya?" Shouichi mumbled softly to himself, leaning back to enjoy the warmth you offered.

"You were just lucky, that's what." You playfully teased your friend, tightening your grip on your hug while successfully eliciting a laugh from Shouichi in response.

"Haha. Very funny, Tsuya," Shouichi chuckled, shaking his head with a smile on his lips at your corny retort.

"Tis what I do, Shou-chan. Tis what I do~" you laughed, giving the boy one final squeeze before releasing him from your hold.

"How interesting… you actually managed to show up. I must say, I'm surprised."

Shouichi immediately tensed at the sound of Reborn's voice. The small infant made his appearance by emerging from a small hydrant located beside you, startling poor Shouichi in the process as he gapped at the odd entrance. Casting your friend a small fleeting glance, Reborn directed his attention to you. "Knowing that you come from a very famous mafia family, you still decide to socialize with a man far below your stature? There are _other_ candidates I can find for you to fill in the position of 'best friend' -- one actually worthy of being in the Vongola's presence."

You shot the small infant a disproving stare. "What are you talking about, Reborn? Shou-chan is a perfect friend for me. I don't want some weirdo showing up to take Shou-chan's rightful place as my personal BFF, got that? So don't do anything…weird."

Reborn arched a brow in amusement. "And since when have I ever done anything 'weird'?"

Giving the small child a blank stare, you seriously asked yourself if he was kidding. Upon receiving no indication from Reborn that he was just 'joshing' you, you rolled your eyes and placed your hands on your hips. "You know, w_eird, _as in deciding to kill Shou-chan off while mysteriously having some random guy show up whom you decide is 'worthy' enough to be in my presence."

Shouichi inwardly flinched at the demented smile appearing on Reborn's face as the small child pulled out his infamous gun. "Whatever are you talking about, Tsuya? Are you i_implying_/i that you wish for my services to execute your friend?"

"I most certainly am NOT!" you retorted with an irk mark, impatiently stamping your foot to express your anger towards the hitman.

Reborn shrugged, acting as though he had done nothing wrong while casually slipping his gun back into his pocket. His onyx gaze locked on Shouichi, staring at the boy for another moment before Reborn decided he had seen enough. Hopping onto your shoulder, Reborn made himself comfortable while easily catching the wary look Shouichi shot his way. "You're going to need to get your act together if you wish to remain by Tsuya's side. I will not tolerate any weak links to the Vongola family," Reborn stated in a rather firm tone, giving your friend a deadpanned look to help emphasize his point.

"Don't pick on Shou-chan!" you scolded, narrowing your eyes into yet _another_ disproving stare aimed at the young hitman, which by the way, seemed to go unnoticed (or rather, completely ignored).

Shouichi wanted nothing more than to shrink away from Reborn's unsettling stare. It was already humiliating enough from having been told off by a toddler, but to also add salt to the wound, Reborn just had to voice his disagreement on his and your friendship. Who was he to label your friendship based off of family stature, anyway? Shouichi had just as much right to remain by your side as any other guy out there. Taking in a deep breath, Shouichi tried his best to calm down. He wasn't about to let this tiny hitman come in-between your friendship. Shouichi had already made that mistake and he certainly wasn't about to repeat it anytime soon. Sure, it will probably take quite some time before he finally manages to feel somewhat 'comfortable' (if one were to put it that way) near Reborn, but Shouichi decided that he was willing to put up with the crazy hitman for your sake.

Finally finding the strength he needed to lock gazes with Reborn, Shouichi narrowed his eyes. "I am NOT going to leave Tsuya's side, and I'll be damned if I let you intimidate me into leaving her anytime soon!"

Your jaw dropped at Shouichi's uncharacteristic outburst. Who would have thought the nerd had it in him to backtalk a hitman?!

Reborn remained silent, his eyes taking in Shouichi's form. The silence continued for another minute or two until the awkward moment was broken when a smirk suddenly appeared on Reborn's lips. "Hmph. You say that now…but we'll see how long you'll last."

Shouichi nearly performed a face plant at Reborn's arrogant reply. What the heck is WRONG with this child?!!

"Shouldn't you be inside watching Tsuna's match, Tsuya?" Reborn asked, shooting you that 'look' of his. "If I recall, didn't you _promise_ to be there for him?"

You paused for a moment, finally allowing Reborn's sentence to successfully lodge itself in your brain. He was right. Weren't you supposed to be indoors, supporting and cheering Tsuna on like you had promised him earlier? If Tsuna found out you left then…

"Ohmygod, I'm so screwed!!" you yelped, dashing forward while grabbing a hold of Shouichi's arm and dragging the poor boy after you as you sprinted back to the gym.

Reborn had managed to hop off of your shoulder just before you made a mad dash. He watched on in amusement as you nearly plowed the gym door down in a frantic frenzy. Releasing a small chuckle, Reborn shook his head, a small smile finding its way on to his face.

{+}[+]{+}[+]{+}

"…This does not bode well," Shouichi informed you, wincing inwardly along with you once the two of you had spotted the scoreboard.

1 – C with 21 points, and 1 – A with only 3 points at the end of the first set. Things weren't looking too good for your brother's team. You couldn't help but feel bad for bailing out on Tsuna when he needed you the most. It probably didn't take him long to figure out when you had left…and from the sound of the disappointed crowd, you were pretty sure they were giving your brother nothing but grief which then probably only made your brother freak out even more with the pressure being thrown on him.

…Poor Tsuna.

You watched Tsuna take in his teammates' frustrated jabs, releasing a small sigh from his lips before hanging his head in shame. Moving to take a small step forward so that you could give Tsuna a great big hug, you found yourself being held back by Shouichi. Your friend caught your gaze and shot you a sympathetic glance, giving a small shake of his head. "…I know you want to comfort your brother right now, Tsuya…but all we can really do for him is just lend him our support."

You dropped your head in defeat. Shouichi was right. Bystanders were not allowed to enter the field at this time, so any affection you wanted to share with your brother would just have to wait until the game was officially over. All you can do for now is just lend him your full support (even though you wanted nothing more than to just run on to that field and tackle your loveable brother into a much needed bear hug).

Your eyes drifted back to Tsuna's form, taking notice of his defeated expression. You bit your lip as your heart reached out for your twin in his time of need. "…Nii-san."

Shouichi held your hand, giving it a tender squeeze in a small effort to try and cheer you up.

Your gaze was still locked on your brother, worry fluttering wildly in your stomach as though someone had released a bunch of butterflies. You knew it wasn't just your own frets you were feeling right now. No. You could also feel Tsuna's emotions flowing through your body like a wildfire. The two of you were connected, since the very day you were born, in fact. A bond had been formed between you both, so whenever one of you felt overwhelmed or in need of some companionship, the other immediately felt it. Now, if only you could just run out on to the field and give your brother a much needed hug. However, you were unable to do so (due to the warning glare Hibari sent your way, like he knew you were just itching to break the rules to be by your brother).

_'Wha?'_ Miraculously, the anxiousness dwelling within your small body instantly dispersed to be replaced with strong feelings of determination. Blinking owlishly for a moment, you broke out of your stupor to cast your gaze towards Tsuna. You were surprised to see that your sibling was no longer fretting, but instead, he was standing proud and straight, a bright fire burning in his gentle brown orbs as he stared ahead at the opposing team.

What had come over Tsuna just now?

You tossed the thought aside, allowing a bright smile to appear on your features. It didn't matter what motivated Tsuna, all that mattered was that your brother had finally regained his courage.

BANG! BANG!

Both you and Shouichi gasped at the earsplitting sound of two shots being fired (neither one of you had to guess just who exactly it was that had fired the shots). Oddly enough, the bullets hit both of Tsuna's knees, knocking your brother flat on his back as he released a small yelp of surprise. Yamamoto was immediately by Tsuna's side after your brother had hit the floor. You were touched by the boy's concern for your twin. However, you were too baffled with Reborn's 'attack'. Tsuna had yet to burst in to his "Dying Will" mode, then again, he wasn't killed by the shots…what exactly did Reborn have in store for Tsuna…?

The moment Tsuna was back on his feet, the referee blew the whistle, signaling that the game was now in play. The opposing team had the first shot. Everyone watched on in anticipation as the team smacked the valley ball with a bruising force towards Yamamoto's team.

"Come on, Nii-san! Kick those guy's sorry asses!!" you shouted enthusiastically, pumping your fist into the air with a wide grin set on your face.

Your call did not go unheard, Tsuna's face whipped around to catch sight of you cheering him on with Shouichi by your side. His brown eyes widened in surprise before shining with delight. A new determination burned brightly in his gaze as he directed his attention back to the game at hand. You watched on with anticipation when Yamamoto called out to Tsuna to take the shot. Without any hesitation, Tsuna rushed forward to defend his team. Crouching down low to give himself more momentum, Tsuna jumped into the air.

"Wha?!!"

Everyone's jaw dropped (including Tsuna's) when your brother had apparently launched himself nearly 10 feet in the air!

"This just defies logic!!" Shouichi cried, watching on in disbelief as your poor brother ended up blocking the volleyball by taking a hit to his nether regions, earning some sympathetic cries from the male population in the crowd. Shouichi also winced upon your brother's valiant defend for his team, his face instantly showing pain at the mere thought of what poor Tsuna must be feeling right about now. "I-I can't _believe_ he blocked it with his organ!"

The whistle sounded, signifying that Yamamoto's team had scored a goal when Tsuna had deflected the shot and sent it barreling back to the opposing team's side.

Shouichi and the other males surrounding you all groaned, watching on with sympathetic stares at Tsuna who was pretty much keeling over in pain. "I can't believe he would sacrifice a man's most valuable part to block the ball!"

"Awesome! That's proof of his strength!" Ryohei shouted, pumping his fist into the air.

Tsuna appeared to have redeemed himself with his team as his teammates flooded around him and praised him for his wondrous deed. Now, while you didn't understand how painful that must have been for your poor brother, you couldn't help but grin with how pumped Tsuna had managed to make his team. It was as if he had turned the tide by taking that shot so gallantly. Now, it was a new game!

You and the crowd erupted into cheers as Yamamoto's team took total command of the game. The opposing team seemed rattled by the stupendous comeback that your brother had instilled to his team. Now, the opposing team was struggling to simply defend themselves, any shots they attempted were merely blocked by your AWESOME brother (though it looked like Tsuna was about to drop dead after having to 'block' so many times).

At the end of the second set, it was 1-C with o4 points, and 1-A with 21 points.

You couldn't even _begin_ to express your pure delight when the final whistle blew, signaling that the game was now over.

"Game set! Year 1 Class A wins!" the referee called out, causing the crowd to burst into cheers.

Shouichi laughed, not even bothering to restrain you as you launched yourself forward and on to the field to tackle Tsuna into a well deserved bear hug. Your twin nearly toppled over from when you flung yourself upon his body, however, after growing so accustomed to your affectionate 'hugs', Tsuna knew what to expect by now. He couldn't help but laugh, his arms wrapping themselves around your waist in a firm hold as the boy suddenly twirled you around, causing you to squeal in delight. Once Tsuna had decided he was done, he gently placed you on your feet, allowing you to proceed with your 'bear hug'.

"I'm so proud of you, Nii-san!" you gushed, tightening your hold on your beloved twin. "I'm so, so proud!!"

Tsuna's heart swelled with pride after hearing your heartfelt words. It meant _so_ much coming from you, it really did. The praise you always gave him whenever he had managed to accomplish something…it was never ending! You were constantly supporting him no matter what he was doing. You never left his side, and you were always the first one to congratulate and nearly kill him with one of your infamous 'bear hugs' whenever he did something (no matter how trivial it may be). Releasing your Tsuna from your hold, you leaned up and placed a loving kiss on his cheek, watching on in delight as a light blush stained his face.

"It's not over."

"Huh?" both you and Tsuna blinked in surprise, directing your attention to the silver haired male standing with his back towards the two of you.

"I won't accept it," Gokudera declared, earning perplexed looks from both you and your twin. The Italian boy whipped his head around, his eyes flashing with anger which were directed mainly at Tsuna, causing your poor brother to squeak in fear and cower behind your small form. "I'm the one who's worthy of becoming the 10th!"

"The 10th?" you repeated, narrowing your eyes at the delinquent teen harassing your brother. _*How he know about that?*_

{+}[+]{+}[+]{+}

You, Tsuna, and Shouichi found yourselves standing across from Gokudera's tense form outside at the back of the school, away from prying eyes and eavesdroppers. The unruly teen had demanded for Tsuna to meet up with him once school was over, and you being the protective sister that you were, came along with Tsuna (much to Gokudera's amusement annoyance). Shouichi had remained with you and Tsuna for support, despite his discomfort with the harsh glares Gokudera occasionally sent his way when they weren't directed at Tsuna.

"U-um, so what is it, Gokudera-kun?" Tsuna stammered nervously, gripping your hand tightly for reassurance when the grumpy teen across from your group released a small snarl.

"If some trash like you becomes the 10th, the Vongola family is done for." Gokudera sneered, shooting your brother a disproving stare. It was easy to say that this delinquent had it out for your poor brother. Why? No one knows. All you knew was that this punk was seriously asking for trouble by threatening your beloved twin. Just who does this sorry sap think he is, anyway?!

"Ack! Take it easy! Take it easy!" Shouichi yelped, grabbing a hold of both your arms to restrain you from rushing forward and picking a fight with Gokudera. You defiantly tried to break free from Shouichi's grasp, yet oddly enough, the boy was stronger than you (heaven forbid that).

"Watch what you say, you damn bastard! My brother is a better man than you'll EVER be. Something you can never hope to even compete with! So I suggest you shut your trap and walk away while you still can – otherwise I'm going to feel obliged to pound your face in, you jerk!!" you snapped viciously, your eyes flaring brightly with your obvious anger. Your body was visibly shaking with the rage you had bottled up, ready to unleash all of your fury on this unruly teen who dared to try and harm Tsuna.

"T-Tsuya…" Tsuna stammered shyly, a blush staining his adorable features. "I-It's okay. You don't have to dirty your hands for my sake. Let's just hear him out, o-okay?"

You sent one last dirty glare Gokudera's way before finally calming down and taking the hand Tsuna offered you. Giving your brother's hand a small squeeze, you closed your eyes and took a deep breath, managing to calm down within the next minute thanks to Tsuna's calming presence. How was your brother able to brush aside the crude comments people continued to throw at him? Just hearing those degrading words aimed at Tsuna really rubbed you the wrong way. Since your twin refused to stand up for himself, you often felt like it was your duty to defend your dear brother's honor. Tsuna was the kindest, gentlest soul anyone could ever hope to come across, but since these only saw him as "No good Tsuna", they completely labeled him as a 'failure' and shoved him aside. This was a heinous act you wish people would abandon. If only they could _really_ see who Tsuna was… if only they could see him through _your_ eyes.

"W-Why do you know about the family?" Tsuna asked Gokudera curiously, giving your hand another squeeze to calm you both down. The silver teen didn't seem to want to respond to your brother's question. Instead, Gokudera narrowed his pale olive eyes into that awful glare people continued to give Tsuna whenever they glanced his way.

"You're annoying," Gokudera snorted in reply, pulling his hands out of his pockets to reveal a stick of dynamite in each hand, "This is your end."

"D-dynamite?!"

Tsuna's, Shouichi's, and your face blanched at the unbelievable sight of a high school student packing ammo. It was one thing to know a baby was certified as a hitman (which you three are STILL trying to get over), but now they're letting delinquent teens strut around with dynamite in hand?! Has the world gone MAD?!!

"This was faster than I expected."

Everyone's attention was directed to the tree beside Tsuna. Your right eye twitched in annoyance as the bark of the tree by Tsuna's eye level slid open like sliding doors to reveal Reborn as he made his grand entrance (seriously, how the _hell_ does he do that, anyway!?). The infant observed the tense scene unfolding with a nonchalant expression on his young face. Reborn's brow arched when he noticed Shouichi standing by your side. Oh-ho? So the boy really thought he was worthy enough to remain by your side despite the odds that he could easily be _removed_ from the picture? Well, he'd have to give him props, Reborn mused, a small smirk appearing on his features. He didn't seem to mind the odd stares you and Shouichi sent his way (he was most likely used to them by now).

"Reborn! In a place like that…" Tsuna mumbled with a sweatdrop.

"It's another one of my hideaways." Reborn replied casually with an innocent shrug. The infant hopped out of his hideout to land gracefully atop of your brother's head. Once he had situated himself in a comfortable position, Reborn turned his steely gaze to the silver haired teen. "Gokudera Hayato."

"What! You know HIM?!" you questioned in disbelief, gesturing towards the young Italian man standing across from you.

Reborn's eyes flashed with mirth. "Yup, he's a family member that I called over from Italy."

"That moron is in the mafia?!" you whined childishly, earning a small chuckle from Reborn and a rather irritated glare from Gokudera in response, "You gotta be kidding me!"

"It's our first meeting though," Reborn admitted, receiving some rather perplexed stares from you, Tsuna, and Shouichi. If this was his first meeting with the delinquent then why did Reborn even bother to invite him in the first place?! You seriously had to wonder if this baby was dropped on his head at birth. His logic just didn't make any sense whatsoever! No matter how threatening persuasive he might be when commanding somehow managing to make you to listen to his reasoning.

"So you're the hitman that the 9th has the most trust in, Reborn. I've heard rumors about you." Gokudera acknowledged with a frown, a brow arching silently in question at how a mere _infant_ was able to become the 9th's most trusted adversary.

You were surprised with this bit of information that Gokudera had managed to provide. _*Reborn is the hitman that the 9__th__ trusts the most…?*_

"It better be true that I'm becoming the 10th if I get rid of this guy," Gokudera snapped irritably, his fierce gaze locked on Tsuna's form. The aura emitting from the young man's body was intense, like he was seriously ready to eliminate Tsuna from being a possible candidate for the Vongola 10th.

"Wh-what are you—" Tsuna stammered, taking a step back in shock.

**"Yup, it's true," Reborn admitted in a nonchalant tone.**

**"What the hell were you thinking, Reborn!?" you shouted angrily, narrowing your eyes at the infant still perched atop of your sibling's head. The infant didn't bother to reply which only managed to anger you further. Tsuna has had a rough day enough as it is, he doesn't need any more crap to deal with. Why can't Reborn just leave your poor twin alone? **

**"What! Can you even **_**do**_** that?" Tsuna barked disbelievingly at the Italian infant. "Was it a lie that I'm destined to be the 10****th****!?"**

**Reborn arched a brow. "If you don't want to lose, fight."**

**"F-fight?" Tsuna yelped, his gentle brown eyes drifting over to Gokudera's menacing form. "Y-you're kidding. I can't fight against a Mafia guy!"**

**Your twin did the only thing that was natural to him when faced with extreme danger – flee.**

**"T-Tsuna!" Shouichi called out in surprise, watching your twin run for his life. Gokudera didn't seem too pleased with Tsuna's actions either. The silver haired teen was fast, the movement of him hurling a stick of dynamite at your twin was almost invisible to your eye, yet somehow, you were able to see this motion. The dynamite landed a couple of feet in front of Tsuna before creating a massive explosion, startling poor Tsuna to death as he immediately crouched down and covered his head while quivering in fear.**

**"Stop right there…" Gokudera commanded in a bitter tone. The delinquent now had four sticks of dynamite in each hand.**

**"W-where did he…?" Shouichi stammered, his body quivering almost as much as your poor brother.**

**"It's said that Gokudera Hayato can hide bombs in any part of his body," Reborn informed your group, mysteriously appearing beside your cowering twin, "in other words, he's a human bomb."**

**"My other name is Hurricane Bomb Hayato," Gokudera supplied with a smirk, crossing his arms so that they formed an 'X', "Brace yourself."**

**You weren't intent on pondering over the fact of how Gokudera Hayato was a 'human bomb'. The main priority for now was Tsuna's safety, and Gokudera was endangering your brother all for a stupid Mafia title. Something as trivial as this was not worth Tsuna's life, not if you had anything to say about it! Without so much as a second thought, you launched yourself at the silver haired teen, catching him by surprise which then sent the two of you tumbling to the ground. Gokudera's sticks of dynamite where thrown out of reach, but the bomber wasn't too focused on that, instead, his attention was solely on you .**

**"What the hell are you **_**doing,**_** woman!?" Gokudera snarled, his calloused hands grasping your wrists to prevent you from any further movement. You were currently straddling the teen, intent on bashing the young man to 'kingdom come'. Gokudera couldn't help but admire your resolve to protect Tsuna. Did your brother really mean that much to you?**

**"T-Tsuya!!" Tsuna's and Shouichi's terrified shrieks fell on death ears. You were far too focused on the arrogant young man beneath you.**

**"You stupid, prissy boy!" you snarled, yanking your right arm out of Gokudera's grasp. Clenching your small hand into a fist, you smashed it with all of your might into Gokudera's face, relishing in his pained cry. However, your victory was short lived. You yelped in surprise when Gokudera managed to successfully fling you off of his body.**

**"Augh! You damn woman!!" Gokudera seethed, his right hand vigorously rubbing his sore face. He had to admit though…he hadn't expected you to pack such a punch. Apparently those people who made up the term 'dynamite comes in small packages' were pretty damn accurate. Sheesh.**

**You immediately were back on your feet within seconds -- this time, with a stick in hand. Gokudera didn't even have time to fully recover after he had managed to get to his feet; you had already begun your second assault by smacking him mercilessly with your 'weapon'. Gokudera yelped in surprise, his arms instantly moving to protect his face as you whacked him continuously with a stick, managing to leave a few good bruises behind in your wake on his torso from the force of your attack.**

**"Are you seriously hitting me with a **_**stick!?**_**" Gokudera growled, his right hand flying out to grab a hold of your 'weapon', halting it in place and preventing you from applying another whack to his body. **

**"One can never be too resourceful in a fight with some Mafia delinquent," you responded with a small snarl, releasing the stick from your hands and swooping down to perform a kick-sweep. You couldn't help the mental cheer in your head when you had managed to successfully knock Gokudera flat on his back, receiving a string of curses from the silver haired teen in reply. **

**"Haha! Beat that you stupid…ack!!" your gloating was cut short when Gokudera suddenly launched himself at you and managed to pin you to the ground. Neither one of you seemed to notice the multiple sticks of dynamite that had fallen out of Gokudera's grasp during the fight (or the fact that they were lit and about to blow up for that matter…)**

**"T-Tsuya!" Tsuna shrieked, rushing over towards the dynamite surrounding your small, oblivious self.**

**Shouichi moved to help as well, only to come to an immediate halt when he had heard someone call out to Tsuna and Tsuya. Turning his head slightly, Shouichi blanched at the sight of Yamamoto making an appearance. Of all the times --!! Did he really have to show up **_**now**_** of all times?!**

**"What are you guys doing over there?" Yamamoto asked curiously (this question caused Shouichi to perform a face-plant).**

**"I have to extinguish the flames!!" Tsuna panicked, dropping to his knees and reaching out to grasp the flames of the dynamite to try and halt the process of the explosions that were soon to follow. The plan backfired horrifically as Tsuna jerked his hands back, burn marks visible on his soft skin from his brash actions. "T-this won't work!!"**

**"What game is this?" Yamamoto questioned, holding a stick of dynamite in his right hand. He appeared to be confused for a moment before his expression morphed into an excited one at the prospect of playing a new game. "It looks like fun! Let me in too!"**

**"Are you MAD?!" Shouichi shrieked, slapping the weapon out of Yamamoto's grasp.**

**Meanwhile, Reborn observed the chaotic scene with a calm expression on his face. It was like he wasn't even deterred by the on-goings surrounding him! The infant held out his hand where his pet chameleon, Leon, was perched. The adorable animal flashed with a light white during its transformation into Reborn's infamous gun. Once the transformation was complete, Reborn aimed his weapon at Tsuna's forehead, a small smirk appearing on the toddler's face. "Fight with your dying will!"**

**BANG**

**You paused in your motion of kneeing Gokudera in the groin to direct your attention to Tsuna. Your eyes widened in surprise as you witnessed your brother's 'death'. It was like watching everything in slow motion now, the way Tsuna's eyes rolled to the back of his head as his body fell back to the ground with a sickening 'thud'. Within moments, Tsuna's skin began to glow, a small flicker of a flame appearing on his forehead. You knew what was coming now, and as expected, Tsuna was suddenly on his feet, ripping his uniform off in the process. ** ****

"REBORN!!" Tsuna's scream resounded through the air, "Extinguish the fires with my dying will!!" 

**"Extinguish! Extinguish! Extinguish! Extinguish! Extinguish!" Tsuna moved so fast he was blur, yet he was able to terminate all of the flames on the dynamite, efficiently cancelling any explosion. During his whole little 'escapade', Tsuna managed to throw Gokudera's form off of your body. You blinked owlishly, propping yourself up with your elbows so that you could watch your brother go.**

**Gokudera had already recovered and was on his feet, watching on in disbelief as Tsuna extinguished all of his dynamite. This seemed to rattle the teen, and within seconds, he had double the amount of bombs in his hands than he did before. "Double the bombs!" **

**"Extinguish! Extinguish! Extinguish! Extinguish! Extinguish!"**

**Despite the enormous amount of bombs hurled towards your group, Tsuna was unstoppable. Your twin extinguished the flames with ease, rattling Gokudera even further. The silver haired teen was beginning to panic, and it showed when the bomber pulled out a triple amount of dynamite in his grasp. Unfortunately for Hayato, it appeared as though he was unable to hold all of the bombs. He watched on in horror as the dynamite slipped from his grasp and surrounded him, flames ignited. **

**A complete look of defeat was evident on Gokudera's face. "The end of…me."**

**"Extinguish! Extinguish! Extinguish! Extinguish! Extinguish!"**

**"Eh?!" Gokudera could only marvel at Tsuna's power as the eldest Sawada twin completely extinguished **_**all**_** of the flames on his dynamites -- a feat no normal man could possibly accomplish. Gokudera had to stop and wonder just who exactly you and Tsuna really were. Was it even possible for two teens such as yourselves to really be related to the Vongola? If the courage both you and Tsuna had to show today was any proof of the Vongola blood running through our veins, then dammit, Gokudera was completely convinced!**

**"Extinguish!" the dying will flame flickered for a moment before finally evaporating from Tsuna's forehead once the last flame was out. Tsuna released a loud sigh of relief when he realized that everyone was safe. "Ah, thank goodness…"**

**"Nii-san!!" **

**"Oof!" Tsuna fell flat on his back due to the force of impact you provided with your glomp. **

**"T-Tsuya, take it easy," your brother laughed, returning your hug with just as much affection. You nuzzled your face against your brother's bare chest, instant relief taking over your body when you finally managed to confirm that Tsuna was all right. **

**"I'm all right, Tsuya," Tsuna informed you in a gentle tone, lifting his body up so that the two of you were now in a sitting position, "I'm all right."**

**"I-I believe that's enough excitement for one day…" Shouichi groaned, adjusting his glasses which had become askew during the whole ordeal just moments ago.**

**"I did not realize it!" Gokudera cried, falling to his knees and bowing low to both you and Tsuna to express his defeat. The teen's uncharacteristic action caught you two by surprise. "You are the one fit to become the boss," Gokudera acknowledged, lifting his head up to show the admiration he had for you both. "10****th****, Princess, I'll follow you both until the end of this Earth! Ask whatever you want of me!"**

**You and Tsuna blanched at the drastic change in Gokudera's behavior.**

**Reborn decided now was the time to make his appearance by Tsuna's side. "The one who loses becomes the winner's subordinate, that is this family's rule."**

**"Rule?" Tsuna asked warily.**

**Gokudera lifted himself so that he was no longer bowing. The chipper expression he had worn earlier was now replaced with a small frown, "Actually, I never had the desire to become the 10****th****. I just wanted to see if the 10****th**** really had the strength to become a suitable boss," Gokudera admitted. **

**Tsuna's expression softened at the silver haired teen's honesty. "Gokudera-kun." **

You watched on with a sweat drop as Gokudera's frown instantly disappeared to be replaced with a large grin. His pale, olive eyes were now sparkling brightly with admiration directed at both you and Tsuna, along with a light blush adorning his features. "But you proved me wrong! You two are much more than I'd ever expected! You even risked your life to save me, even though I was your enemy! As Gokudera Hayato, I will give you two my life!"

"Wait, that's troubling!" Tsuna panicked, waving his hands in a dismissive manner to try and coax Gokudera out of the deal. "Can't we just be regular classmates?"

Gokudera's cheerful expression morphed into a hardened glare, startling you with how he could channel his emotions so frequently and not even break into a sweat. "I won't let you do that."

_*He's so scary I can't talk back…*_ Tsuna thought to himself with a sweatdrop. _*What's with this situation…*_

"Good job Tsuna, Tsuya," Reborn congratulated, catching you both off guard with his unusual compliment. "It's because of your strength that Gokudera became your subordinate. You passed for the day, and you didn't even need the Dying Will Bullet," Reborn acknowledged, pulling a little black book out of his pocket so that he could record today's events down onto paper. You watched on in amusement as Reborn pulled out a pen and began to scribble down his notes in a rather quick manner.

_*Even if what he does is totally messed up, he really is thinking about Tsuna.*_ you thought to yourself, allowing a small smile to appear on your lips after coming to this realization (yet you completely missed the blush overtaking Gokudera's features when he noticed your adorable action).

Yamamoto had managed to sneak up on you and Tsuna without either one of your noticing his appearance until he swung his arms around your shoulders, laughing merrily at the event that had just transpired. "Tsuna, Tsuya, you two are such a really funny pair! Let me into the group, too."

You shot the naïve boy an incredulous stare. "Are you _nuts,_ Yamamoto?"

Said boy blinked innocently, directing his attention to you. "You guys are the boss, right?"

"Do you even know what you're asking?" Shouichi questioned the baseball captain in an exasperated tone.

_*He thinks this is just a game…*_ you and Tsuna thought to yourself with a sweatdrop, appalled with how oblivious Yamamoto was to the dangers of your little Mafia family.

"Hey you!" Gokudera snarled viciously at Yamamoto, anger radiating off of him like a wildfire which managed to catch everyone's attention. "Don't get so friendly with the 10th and Princess!"

"Huh, what's up with him?"

"That underwear guy is such a loser!"

"Eh?" you turned your head to the left to see three third-years getting a kick out of Tsuna's lack of apparel. Narrowing your eyes, you allowed a small snarl to leave your lips when you noticed that their taunting continued. Gently releasing Tsuna from your hold, you stood up, cracking your knuckles while running through various thoughts (ones worthy of belonging to Hibari) on how to kill beat the crap outta these knuckleheads. Moving to take a step forward, you were held back when Gokudera took a stand in front of you, blocking your view of the three stooges.

"Looks like it's time to make myself useful," Gokudera mused, drawing multiple sticks of dynamite out, "I'll totally annihilate them."

Tsuna instantly panicked. "Wait! Y-you don't have to!"

"No way, Nii-san! Let Gokudera his part," you interrupted, your eyes glistening brightly with a new admiration for the Hurricane Bomb Hayato. If Gokudera was willing to rid the world of any unworthy trash who mocks your brother in such a manner, then this Italian boy has just managed to score himself a seat in your Vongola family in your standards! "Kick their asses, Gokudera-kun!"

"My pleasure, Princess!" Gokudera replied with a smirk, his dynamite instantly igniting itself which in turn scared the crap out of the third year delinquents who were now backing away in fear when Gokudera took a step forward, a sinister smirk now plastered to his face.

Oh yeah. You could _definitely_ get used to have Gokudera around.


	3. Chapter 3

**Phew…this took a LOT of effort to complete. This single chapter is 93 pages long in Microsoft Word! I'm seriously beginning to wonder how on earth I managed to make this dang thing so flippin' LONG! **

**Well, I suppose it's better for those of you who like insanely LONG chapters, ne? **

**Hope this chapter was worth the wait for you guys – and thanks so much for all of your reviews and messages! I absolutely loved 'em! **

* * *

"Nii-san, I told you already…I'm perfectly fine," you reassured your brother in a gentle tone, a smile appearing on your lips despite constantly having to remind you dear brother that all was well with you.

_"Are you SURE you're all right, Tsuya? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all…why don't I just meet up with you at — ack! Reborn, what the heck was THAT for?"_

You tried to stifle your laughter when you heard your brother heatedly begin an argument with his home tutor.

_"Don't be such a baby, Tsuna. You must learn to be an independent man if you ever hope to become the Vongola 10__th__. What kind of man follows his sister around like a lost puppy? Tsuya will return shortly, so in the meantime, why don't you get your act together and do your homework?"_

_"No one asked you for your opinion! And don't talk to me like that! I'm ten years older than you!"_ Tsuna snappily replied to his hitman. His mood instantly changed back to the role of 'over-reacting big brother' the moment he directed his attention back to you. _"Tsuya, I really don't feel comfortable letting you go off on your own. I was stupid to have even listened…no, wait…I was threatened by that maniac, so my opinion was drafted (stupid baby!). Ugh! Forget this. I'm sending Gokudera over to pick you up!"_

You were really touched by your brother's concern for you safety. The sound of his obvious panic was evident in his tone, brining yet another smile to your face.

After you and Tsuna had gotten home after your crazy day at school, Reborn had informed you that you were in need of some ingredients for your Home Economics class tomorrow morning. How that baby even knew you had that class and what exactly it was that was required for tomorrow's recipe still disturbed you, but hey, it's Reborn. What's there to be surprised about with him, anyway? (You get the picture). Anyways, the deranged infant decided that you should head out to get your supplies for class -- _without_ Tsuna.

You had no quarrels with the idea. Honestly, you were with Reborn on this one. Tsuna had earned himself an evening of nothing but relaxation (in your opinion, anyway). There was really no need for him to tag along with you to run some measly errands. The only problem? Well, Tsuna had otherthoughts for this subject. In fact, he had originally wanted to go with you, but Reborn had _other_ plans for his student. So, you ended up going off by yourself (not that you minded at all), and poor Tsuna had to remain home (against his will). Aside from all of that, you were now currently browsing down the aisles at your local grocery store, a small red basket in one hand, and your cell phone propped up against your ear in the other.

"There's no need for that, Nii-san. I'm fine. Really!" you relayed to your sibling.

_"Nonsense! I'm coming to pick you up, Princess!"_

You blinked upon hearing the voice of your family's newly recruited member, Gokudera Hayato. "Don't trouble yourself over me, Gokudera-kun. I'm only a couple minutes away from home. I'll be back in about twenty minutes tops. Nothing to worry about! Just keep my brother company in the meantime. He tends to get really anxious whenever we're separated for a short period of time."

Your overzealous subordinate didn't seem to agree with you. _"B-but what if you're ambushed on the way home? Do you honestly expect me to just sit back and let you wander the street alone with all of those disgusting perverts lurking about? I agree with the 10__th__! I'm coming over to pick you up!"_

"Gokudera-kun…" you began in a slightly exasperated tone, only to be cut off from your brash 'family' member when he suddenly handed the phone back to your frantic brother.

_"Don't leave the store until Gokudera-kun shows up to bring you home, Tsuya,"_ Tsuna told you in a firm tone. i_"I'm already uncomfortable with having to deal with the fact that you're alone…so please, just humor me and walk home with Gokudera-kun, okay?"_

A soft sigh escaped your lips after hearing Tsuna's request. Who could possibly deny your brother anything when his tone was laced like honey? Sure, he may be a little emotional (not to mention a little overprotective)…but he had your best intentions at heart. So why worry the poor boy by being a rebel? You didn't swing that way when it comes down to Tsuna. In fact, you'll pretty much do anything that boy asks you without a hint of hesitation. If Tsuna wanted you to stay put until Gokudera came to pick you up, then so be it. You'll be a good girl for your big brother and abide his wishes.

"All right. I promise not to leave the store until Gokudera-kun arrives," you promised your brother while taking a turn to the left to finally arrive in the baking aisle, "so just take it easy, okay, Nii-san? You know Gokudera-kun will make sure I get home in one piece. Besides, if we happen to run in to some trouble, you know Gokudera-kun will 'annihilate' the problem," you mused, thinking back to the bomber's earlier phrase he used when confronting both you and Tsuna after school earlier this afternoon.

Tsuna seemed a little hesitant, but he decided you would be left in good hands once Gokudera arrived at the scene. _"…Alright, Tsuya. I'll see you when you come back then."_

Although your brother couldn't see the charming smile on your face, he was able to hear it in your voice when you bid him good-bye. "Okay. Bye, Nii-san. I love you lots~"

_"I love you too, Tsuya,"_ Tsuna replied, his gentle voice floating through your cell phone's receiver which in turn elicited a small shiver from your body,_ "Come home safely."_

Snapping your phone shut with a sigh, you pocketed the small device in your pocket before returning to your current duty of shopping for supplies. Your class was going to be cooking up some delightful desserts tomorrow morning, most likely cakes, your teacher seemed to have a weak spot when it came to that particular course. A chuckle left your lips at the thought. Well, if tomorrow's main course was cakes…you should probably pick up Tsuna's favorite cake ingredients. The boy deserved a nice treat after having to put up with so much chaos these past few days.

Picking up a box that contained the ingredients for a fluffy, moist yellow cake, you placed the product in your basket. A smile instantly appeared on your features at the thought of Tsuna's reaction tomorrow morning when you handed him your homemade dessert. Your adorable twin seemed to have a soft spot for your cooking, especially when it came down to sweets. Tsuna had the joy of developing a sweet tooth in his younger years after having been exposed to so many confections (mainly due to your own sweet tooth which you seemed to have developed at birth).

"Ne, I'm sure Shou-chan would like a cake too…" you debated with yourself, glancing over all of the different cake ingredients. It was still rather difficult to define Shouichi's favorite type of dessert. The nerd always seemed to accept your gifts of food no matter what the type. He was the gracious type of guy who even accepted partially burnt batches of cookies (and in your honest defense, that was your _first_ batch of cookies you had made at the age of _five_). Shouichi certainly deserved his own cake as well after having to put up with you and your brother's crazy 'family' affairs. Snatching a box of chocolate cake ingredients off of the shelf, you added it to your basket with a grin on your face at the thought of your lovable and loyal nerd.

Ah, but what about Gokudera?

You sweat dropped at the thought of your brash, silver-haired friend. Your scattered thoughts drifted back to today's earlier events when you managed to first meet the handsome Italian man. Sure, your first impression of the guy had been labeled as a total and complete 'jackass'. However, your input of the young man instantly changed after he had defended your brother's honor by totally annihilating some delinquent third-years who had been harassing your dear twin. After that little maneuver, Gokudera had officially earned himself a seat in the Vongola family due to your bond with him. Needless to say, you and Gokudera get along quite nicely now (not to mention that anyone has yet to harass your brother after learning that they'll to deal with an overzealous delinquent, AKA, Gokudera).

A box of vanilla cake was added to your basket. Why vanilla, you ask? Well, because the color reminded you of your hot-headed subordinate, that's why. Heehee. Good ol' Gokudera.

Heading on over to the checkout stand with a small bounce in your step, you placed yourself behind the customer before you, paying no heed to their physical appearance as you merely focused on unloading your products onto the conveyer belt.

"Sir, you still need to pay for this…" came the exasperated voice of the cashier person.

"Ushishishi~ I already _told_ you, measly peasant. I do not need to pay. After all, I am a Prince."

You had just finished unloading your items to hear the rather interesting conversation being held in front of you between the customer and the cashier person. The laugh that had rang out earlier was still lodged in your brain. It had been such a _strange_ laugh, and after close inspection of the person it came from, well…they were a bit _strange_ themselves.

The person was a young male with a wide grin set in place on his face. His eyes were covered by his silky blonde bangs that covered about half his face (wonder what color his eyes were? Guess you'll never know). He was wearing a purple shirt with black stripes, covered by a long black coat with a strange symbol on the upper part of the arm's sleeve. To add more to his strange ensample was his pair of leather pants and white boots with black laces. The finishing touch? A gold crown placed on in a slanted position atop of his head of golden hair.

"Prince or no prince, you still need to pay for your item, sir," the cashier person retorted, appearing to be a little uneasy with the slightly menacing aura that was now emitting from his strange customer.

"Ushishishi~" the strange laugh filtered through the air once more before the 'prince' decided to speak, "do you have a death wish~?"

You watched on as the cashier person's face drained of color. Poor dude. He was just trying to make a living. Deciding to help the poor fellow out, you reached over and picked up the 'prince's' item, dropping it in the front of your products. Your action managed to capture both of the men's attention, their eyes (at least, you _think_ the 'prince' dude was looking in your direction – you couldn't really tell with those bangs of his) set on you.

"Don't worry," you sent the uneasy cashier person a kind smile, "I'll pay for the 'prince's' stuff."

The only response you got was a nervous nod from the store employee before he began to hastily ring up your items. You could feel the strange 'prince' gazing at you, taking a small step to the side so that he was now hovering behind you while you paid for your things. You couldn't help but inwardly shudder at the invasion of your personal bubble. Accepting the bag the store employee handed you, you gave one last smile in his direction before turning around to deal with the stranger.

"Hel—" you began, only to be interrupted by the young man's strange laugh.

"Ushishishi~" you blinked in amazement as the young man's grin widened to an imaginable degree (who would've thought someone could actually do that). "Well, aren't you a strange one?"

Your right brow twitched. You? _Strange?_ Well now, that didn't sound right. "Uh-huh. This coming from the guy claiming to be a 'prince'?"

"Ushishishi~" the young man slithered closer to you, "Does my peasant disagree with me? Ah, you should know better than to question your prince."

The word 'peasant' flashed over your head in bold letters. "I'm a _what_!"

"Don't be like that, peasant. Show your prince some gratitude. After all…the prince let you buy him his gum~" the young man chided in a rather creepy tone, his grin still plastered to his face.

"…Are you for real?" you asked skeptically, stuffing your hand in your bag to dig out the 'prince's' precious gum.

The strange young man's grin seemed to widen even more (if that was possible). He pulled his right hand out of his pocket to reveal a small silver throwing knife in his grasp. "If you'd like…the prince can cut you up and see how _real_ your insides are~"

"That's just sick!" you retorted with an irk mark, tossing the small packet of _Minty Fresh_ gum at the weirdo's face, hitting him smack dab in the center. Ha!

"Ushishishi~" the young man appeared to be amused with your actions, "why would you defy your prince, peasant? Do you have a death wish as well?"

"…Yeah. I'm just gonna label you as 'psychotic weirdo' and be on my way now," you replied with a roll of your eyes, sidestepping around the 'prince' to head on over to the entrance of the store to await Gokudera's arrival. If the creep was stupid enough to follow you, he'd have to deal with your brash subordinate in return. And as Lady Luck would have it…the creep decided to follow you. Oh joy.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

_*Does this guy EVER shut up?*_ you thought exasperatedly to yourself, banging your head on the light post repeatedly while the 'prince' continued to relay his life of 'royalty' to you. Honestly, how could someone be so self-centered? You wanted to believe that there was some type of good in _every_one, however, Mr. Prince made sure to demolish that little thought of yours with his completely horrendous 'the-world-revolves-around-me' syndrome. Oi vey.

"Ushishishi~ Is the peasant _ignoring_ her prince?" the young man questioned with that eerie laugh of his, slinking closer to your side while his typical maniac grin morphed into a rather sinister one, "You shouldn't ignore your prince, peasant. Bad things will come from such a heinous act~"

Banging your head one last time on the innocent light post, you scraped up what little sanity you had left to turn around and face the strange man who had been harassing you for the past ten minutes (which strangely felt like hours). "Dude, I don't know what crack you've been smoking…but seriously, maybe you should see a doctor or something if you're THIS delirious around people on the streets. You're gonna get yourself killed if you bug the wrong person out here. Consider yourself lucky that you decided to pick on little ol' me," you ranted with a small roll of your eyes.

"Ushishishi~" the 'prince' seemed to get a kick out of your little 'speech'. "Do you honestly believe that the prince would be defeated by weaklings in an alleyway?" Your brown eyes widened in surprise when you suddenly found one of the small silver throwing knives you had seen earlier in his possession currently being held at your throat. "Ushishishi~! Is my little peasant scared?"

Your right brow twitched in annoyance. In a normal situation, this probably would have scared the crap out of you. Alas, after been subjected to all of Reborn's crazy antics, this kind of stuff doesn't really faze you anymore. I mean, sure, you've got some psycho dude threatening you with some knives…but to be perfectly honest, you didn't feel any ill intent radiating off of him in a way a murderer does before killing off its victim. No. If anything, this was all a game to your new psychotic friend. The downside? Well, you were currently his new favorite toy.

"PRINCESS!"

You couldn't help but marvel at how fast Gokudera appeared on the scene. One moment he was about 15 feet away from you, then in an instant, he was shielding you from harm by placing himself directly in front of you so that you were no longer in any danger. The silver-haired teen released a vicious snarl, his pale olive gaze narrowing into a murderous glare at the young man standing before him who had been 'threatening' you just moments ago. With quick reflexes he seemed to have developed after being welcomed into yours and Tsuna's 'family', Gokudera's empty hands were soon filled with sticks of dynamite, ready to be set off the instant he felt threatened. However, Gokudera decided that his main priority right now was your safety – he would simply have to try and bottle his anger to prevent himself from simply unleashing his fury upon his opponent through his explosives in order to make sure that you remained unharmed from the battle.

"Just who the HELL do you think you are, bastard?" Gokudera demanded, gritting his teeth in small effort to try and restrain himself from throwing his weapons, "Do you have any idea who you were threatening just now?"

The psychotic teen appeared to be surprised by your subordinate's sudden appearance. "Oh? And just who exactly are you, filthy being? You've interrupted the prince's fun with his measly peasant. Ushishishi~"

An irk mark appeared on Gokudera's head. "Don't you DARE go calling the Princess such demeaning names, you bastard!"

"'Princess'?" the psychotic male tilted his head slightly to the right after hearing the nickname Gokudera had bestowed you with, "Do you mean to tell the prince that his little peasant is _royalty?_"

Gokudera released a low growl. He didn't like where this was going. It was getting too personal, and he wasn't intent on revealing your true identity to the likes of some deranged guy like the one standing before him. Gokudera could simply throw his weapons and be done with the psychotic young man, however, this just might engage a battle if the weirdo somehow managed to survive the attack. The last thing Gokudera wanted was to tangle you up in this mess. The only solution that came to mind… yes, it would have to do for now. There was no other option at this point.

Gokudera pocketed his explosives, his steely gaze locked on the 'prince' as he pulled his right hand out of his pocket to reveal a small capsule of some sort. "Princess, stand back!" your subordinate called out to you in a firm tone before flicking the tiny weapon in his hand forward with his thumb, his arms instantly crossing over his face to form an 'X'. You didn't really have any time to process what was happening, because in the next instant, Gokudera's small capsule suddenly exploded as though it contained five bombs inside, startling not only you, but the 'prince' at Gokudera's deceiving weapon. After the explosive had finished, a large amount of smoke appeared from the finishing results to the attack, giving you and Gokudera the opportunity to slip away.

"Ngh, come on, Princess!" Gokudera urged, gently grasping your arm and quickly leading you away from the scene.

"Ushishishi~" the blonde 'prince' casually slipped his silver throwing knife back into his coat pocket, watching the gathering crowd forming around the entrance to the convenient store that he and the 'princess' had been standing before just moments ago before the delinquent decided to show up and ruin the 'prince's' fun. Completely hidden from everyone's view by slinking away to hide in the shadows of the alley, the 'prince' watched the delinquent rush off with the 'princess' in tow. Well, now. This certainly changes e_verything._ So his peasant was a 'princess', huh? The young man's psychotic grin took over his features as he released another one of his infamous laughs.

"Ushishishi~ the prince must see his princess again…"

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

Shouichi surfed the channels on his television with a bored expression etched across his face. He ignored the 'look' his older sister shot him due to his lack of decisiveness to simply choose a station to watch. Shouichi's mind was elsewhere, or more specifically…on a certain Sawada twin. He couldn't help but be concerned with your ties to the mafia. Sure, he's already come to accept the fact that both you and Tsuna are related to a prestigious mafia family…but does that mean that you and Tsuna are going to be dragged in to the dangers of the underworld? Just the mere thought sent shivers up Shouichi's spine at the prospect of having to witness you and Tsuna engaging in life-threatening battles to hone the title of "Vongola". For all he knew, the Sawada twins he's come to know and love could perish well before college even starts. Ugh. That thought just made his stomach hurt…

DING-DONG

"Answer the door, Irie," his sister instructed from her rooted position on the couch, not bothering to get up and answer the door herself.

Giving a small roll of his eyes, Shouichi pushed himself up from his seat before trudging his way over to the door. Reaching his arm out, Shouichi took a hold of the doorknob in his hand and twisted the object, pulling the door back so that he could see who was standing behind it. He was met with surprise when his green gaze meet worried brown orbs. "T-T-Tsuya? W-what are you doing here!"

Shouichi immediately opened his door wider for you to step inside, only to be met with _more_ surprise when he finally managed to catch sigh of the ruffled delinquent teen you were currently supporting with your small frame. "Ack! What happened? Are you two all right?"

You were relieved when Shouichi rushed over to your side and helped you support your loyal subordinate. Slinging Gokudera's right arm over his shoulder, Shouichi cast the young man a worried glance before taking action of the situation. "Come on, Tsuya. Let's take him up to my room."

"Thanks, Shou-chan," you breathed in relief, following your red-headed friend up the staircase to his room. On your way up, your gaze fleeted over to the boy's older sister to find that she was far too absorbed in the show on television to have even noticed yours and Gokudera's appearance in the house. Poor Shouichi. He wasn't kidding when he said he was pretty much in charge of everything at his house when his mom was absent for the day.

Once the three of you were in Shouichi's bedroom, the red-head helped lower Gokudera down on to his bed to rest. The silver-haired teen released a small hiss of pain, his right hand instantly flying up to grasp the fabric of his shirt which was currently covering his stomach, causing Shouichi's eyes to widen in horror when he managed to catch sight of the red substance staining through Gokudera's shirt where the young man was grasping the flimsy fabric. Okay, what exactly had happened after dropping the Sawada twins along with their new 'family' member off at the Sawada household earlier today?

"What the heck happened?" Shouichi panicked, rushing over to his desk and falling down to his knees to pull out the first-aid kit he had stashed away underneath the furniture for safekeeping. "I can't leave you alone for _one_ hour without something totally going wrong!"

You accepted the kit Shouichi handed over to you, watching on in concern as you began to frantically fuss over your loyal subordinate. Lifting the silver-haired male's shirt up, you inwardly winced at the sight of blood oozing from Gokudera's wound. Your heartstrings were pulled at thought of Gokudera inflicting this injury upon his self in order to protect you from that weirdo at the market. The young man hadn't been kidding when he had vowed that he would give his life in order to protect both you and your brother from any harm…but…to inflict himself with a wound such as this in order to protect you, were you really worth such a thing?

Flipping open the lid to the first-aid kit, you pulled out the rubbing alcohol along with a cotton ball. Twisting the lid open to the bottle, you poured some liquid onto the cotton ball before placing it tenderly over Gokudera's wound, inwardly wincing once again after hearing his pained hiss. With your brown orbs drifting down in shame, you continued to tend to Gokudera. "Some weirdo with knives was harassing me at the convenient store, but Gokudera-kun was able to distract him long enough for us to escape without breaking in to an all-out brawl…however, Gokudera-kun was injured in the process…"

Shouichi's eyes widened after hearing what had transpired. Some psycho had been harassing you at the convenient store…with _kn_ives! If Gokudera hadn't shown up when he did to protect you…would you still be here right now? Ugh…bad thought…horrible thought, Shouichi berated to himself with a small shake of his head. Luckily, you were still unharmed and well alive – the downside was Gokudera's injury. However, it seemed as though you knew exactly what it was you were doing in helping the young man to clean his wound. The only real problem here was the fact that you seemed to be blaming yourself for your subordinate's fate.

_*Poor Gokudera-kun…*_ A small frown tugged at your lips, concern could be felt deep within the bowels of your heart. Even though the young man has only known for you just a short amount of time (a few hours to be exact), he just threw himself into harm's way to make sure that you escaped unscathed. You just couldn't see it. How was _your_ life superior to Gokudera's? In your opinion, the life of your friends and family was far more important than your own.

Instantly taking notice of your rather sulky mood, Gokudera grabbed a hold of your wrist to prevent you from further applying any more attention to his small injury. "D-don't worry about me, Princess!" Gokudera insisted with a grin, propping himself up with his left elbow, "This injury is nothing more than a cat scratch, honest! There's no need to worry over something as trivial as this. It's an honor to be able to bear this small setback as a token of your safety!"

"…T-that's a little odd, though, don't cha think?" Shouichi asked curiously, adjusting his glasses. The timid boy locked gazes with Gokudera and immediately shrunk back due to the horrendous glare the silver-haired male sent his way in a silent message to 'shut-the-hell-up'.

"But Gokudera-kun…" you began to protest, only to be cut off by your subordinate.

"Look, I'm fine, see?" Gokudera had already pushed himself up into a sitting position, inwardly wincing in pain from his brash movements but refused to show any signs of discomfort in order to try and cheer you up. "There's no need for you to be wasting your concern on me for this, Princess. I can handle this, really!"

Your gentle brown orbs drifted over to Gokudera's pale olive eyes. You noticed the small, almost invisible flicker in Gokudera's eyes which easily informed you of the obvious discomfort he was currently feeling, but hiding so desperately in order to please you. Biting your lower lip, your gaze found the floor. Why on earth would Gokudera just lie about his pain? Were you really that selfish? Your small hands clenched into fists at that last thought. No! If you and Tsuna were _really_ related to the prestigious Vongola family like Reborn had stated…then wasn't it YOUR responsibility to watch over your subordinates?

"Gokudera-kun…"

The silver-haired teen blinked owlishly, watching your small form quiver for a moment before you had managed to regain your composure. When you lifted your head up, Gokudera couldn't help but let out a small gasp of surprise at the fire burning brightly in your gentle gaze. _*J-just like when she was protecting the 10__th__!*_

Locking gazes with your faithful subordinate, you took a silent vow with yourself, one you intended to keep. "I'm sorry for being a burden to you…"

"W-what! Princess! Y-you're not a--!" Gokudera exclaimed in a frantic tone, his mouth instantly closing shut when you signaled for him to be quiet for a moment.

"I know that it is your job to protect Tsuna and me from any harm that may be directed at us…but please…" you trailed off, your thoughts drifting back to your encounter with the strange psychopath at the convenient store earlier. Roughly shoving that negative thought aside, you held a strong gaze with Gokudera, your eyes easily expressing your determination, "Remember to also protect _yourself._ I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you, Gokudera-kun. You're a member of our family now, and that means that you are just as important to me and Tsuna as we are to you. I'm sorry that I put not only myself in danger earlier, but you as well…"

Gokudera tried his best to force down the oncoming blush he felt trying to surface. To think…that both you and the 10th already considered him as part of your Vongola family (well, at least you did so far). Suddenly finding an interest in Shouichi's bed sheets, Gokudera could only pray that you were unable to see the embarrassed blush splashed across his face from your heartfelt words.

"I promise that I'll try harder to be a boss worthy of the Hurricane Bomb Hayato!" you vowed to your subordinate.

It was at this moment that Gokudera promptly decided to fall back onto the bed, unconscious.

You took a moment before finally realizing what had just happened. "E-eh? Gokudera-kun! A-are you all right!"

Shouichi watched on with a sweatdrop as you began to frantically fuss over your new friend. While you believed that the poor boy had fainted from blood loss, Shouichi knew better. After all, he was pretty sure he'd have blacked out himself if you had ever made a confession vow to him. Chuckling softly at your worried fuss over Gokudera, Shouichi walked over to your side and kneeled down beside you. Placing his hand over yours, Shouichi shot you one of his brilliant smiles when you turned your gaze his way.

"How's about I help you bandage Gokudera's wound, Tsuya?" Shouichi offered, his heart fluttering wildly when your own brilliant smile lit your face after hearing his offer.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Nii-san, we're hoo—ack!" The moment you stepped into your house, you were tackled into a hug by your loveable twin, causing you to stumble back in surprise only to be caught by Gokudera as he steadied you until you had finally regained your balance. Casting a fleeting glance over your shoulder at your loyal friend, you shot Gokudera a bright smile in a silent gesture of 'thanks'.

Gokudera bashfully averted his gaze from the warm smile you sent his way, his cheeks flooding with heat due to your adorable actions. He tightened his hold on one of the grocery bags you had purchased earlier, its other counterpart could be found in your grasp. You had refused to let Gokudera carry all of your supplies when the Italian man begged to carry it for you. In the end, you had finally caved in, allowing Gokudera to carry only _one_ of the bags while you carried the other. Gokudera had begrudgingly accepted the fact that you refused to allow him to carry _both_ of your bags, after all, you were extremely independent, and that was something Gokudera had to respect.

"Are you all right, Tsuya? You guys were gone for an awfully long while! What happened? Were you guys held up? Did some pervert harass you! Ack! Don't tell me that you came in contact with one of those _crazy_ people who keep popping up ever since HE showed up…" Tsuna trailed off on his frantic rant, casting a weak glare over his shoulder at the hitman infant perched atop of small pedestal placed beside the stairway.

A nervous laugh left your system as you gave your brother a reassuring pat on the back. "Nonsense! Everything was perfectly fine. I'm sorry to have worried you like that, Nii-san."

Tsuna shot you a weary glance, wondering if everything was _truly_ all right. He had an uncomfortable feeling swirling around in his stomach, and he couldn't help but think that something had happened to you on your way home from the convenient store. Directing his gentle gaze to his newly recruited subordinate, Tsuna decided it would be best to ask Gokudera how things went. "Gokudera-kun…?"

The silver-haired teen remained silent for a moment, his pale olive eyes drifting over your small frame before directing his attention back on Tsuna. A grin appeared on Gokudera's lips as the young man waved his right hand back and forth in a dismissive manner, "Don't worry about a thing, 10th! Nothing happened."

Tsuna blinked in surprise. Perhaps he was just overacting? Yes, that must be it. It's been a while since he's ever been separated from you for such a long period of time like that. The anxious feeling swirling around in his stomach must be from his panic attack he had earlier while awaiting your return. Yeah, that must be it. Deciding to just drop the subject, Tsuna grasped your hand in his, giving it a small tug as he began to lead you into the kitchen so that you could unload your purchases.

Gokudera strayed behind for a moment, watching you and Tsuna disappear into the kitchen. He ran a hand through his silver locks, releasing a small strained sigh.

_/Flashback/_

_"…Gokudera-kun?" you called softly, easily gaining the young man's attention._

_"Hm? What is it, Princess?"_

_"Could you promise me something?" you asked, trailing close to the young Mafioso during your trek home. _

_Gokudera blinked in surprise. When your question had managed to successfully lodge itself in his brain, Gokudera's face was covered in a light blush, his mind racing due to the fact that you wanted to confide in him. "A-anything, Princess! What is it you wish?"_

_You remained silent for a moment, your eyes downcast. "Would you mind not telling Nii-san about the psycho 'prince'?" _

_Gokudera came to an immediate halt, causing you to come to a stop as well. The young man appeared to be baffled by your rather odd request. "W-what? Are you sure about this, Princess? Shouldn't the 10__th__ know about that whack job?" _

_You firmly shook your head 'no'. "Tsuna has enough things to worry about already, Gokudera-kun, he doesn't need to worry about some weirdo you took care of this evening. He already worries so much about me enough as it is…there's really no need to just add to his stress. Besides…" you trailed off, lifting your head to gaze at the young man standing beside you, showing Gokudera the resolve burning brightly in your gentle brown eyes, "I have the Hurricane Bomb Hayato to watch out for me, right?"_

_"R-right!" Gokudera agreed quickly, feeling yet/i _another _ i blush overtaking his features._

_You flashed your friend a brilliant smile. "Thank you, Gokudera-kun!" _

_/End Flashback/_

Although he felt horrible for lying to the 10th like that…Gokudera had a good reason for it. You had confided in him, something Gokudera was extremely proud of. He'd be damned if he decided to slip up and ruin your trust in him. So long as he was breathing, Gokudera vowed that he would protect you from any potential harm (and any more whack jobs like that psycho 'prince'). Your vow from earlier rang through his mind, fueling Gokudera's determination further (and NO! he was NOT blushing, dammit!).

"Lying to Tsuna like that was a pretty risky move on your part," Reborn chided, nearly spooking Gokudera right out of his skin at the sudden conversation the infant sparked up.

Nervously glancing at the small hitman staring so intently at him, Gokudera gulped before releasing a small sheepish laugh. "W-what are you talking about, Reborn-san?"

Reborn arched a brow. "I commend you for respecting Tsuya's wishes, so I suppose I'll let this slide just this once since you are merely doing this for Tsuya after she had requested it."

"Eh heh heh…" Gokudera began to slowly etch away from the hitman, a bit perturbed with how the baby knew so much about the conversation between you and Gokudera during your walk home. How was that even possible, anyway? Creepy. Releasing one last nervous laugh, Gokudera made a mad dash towards the kitchen, leaving Reborn behind to brew in his own thoughts.

"Heh. Your training hasn't even begun, and yet, you are already showing true potential of bearing the blood of the Vongola, Tsuya," Reborn mused, crossing his arms over his chest. Raising both you and Tsuna to be true leaders was definitely going to be a fun job. Definitely~

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

/Next Day/

Nana hummed merrily to herself while preparing breakfast for her family. Mincing up some fruit to serve as toppings with the flapjacks she was making, Nana smiled to herself while imagining the looks on both yours and Tsuna's faces once the two of you set eyes on the meal she had prepared for you both this morning. Just the thought of your happy expressions caused Nana's smile to widen even more. Returning to her current task of mincing some strawberries, Nana came to a pause when an explosion suddenly sounded from the floor above her where both yours and Tsuna's room was located.

"My, it looks like they're having fun," Nana noted in surprise, "Teenagers are at their best when they're energetic."

Meanwhile, upstairs in your bedroom…both you and Tsuna gapped, your jaws nearly touching the floor at Reborn's barbaric ways to tutor you both in math. Smoke was still swirling about in your room from the earlier explosion that transpired just moments ago (thanks to Reborn). You laughed nervously, slowly lowering your math book down onto the small coffee table that you and Tsuna were currently occupying. Tsuna, had an entirely _different_ reaction to Reborn's crazy antics.

"Hey Reborn!" Tsuna shouted frantically, dropping his math book and slamming his hands down onto the coffee table as he leaned forward, "In what universe is there a tutor who activates an explosion when you answer a question wrong?"

Reborn appeared to be unfazed by your brother's outburst. The hitman was currently dressed in an orange jumpsuit with a yellow hard hat placed atop of his head. In his right hand, Reborn was reading the answer sheets to the math problems, while his left hand was perched atop of the 'Question #2' handle for the explosive box. There were three question explosive boxes in all, each one resembling an answer for a math problem. The only problem was that you and Tsuna were _horrible_ at math, which in turn, caused you both more chaos seeing as how neither one of you had managed to answer a single equation correctly. If only Shou-chan was here…

"This is the way I do it," Reborn informed Tsuna in a nonchalant tone, his gaze still focused on the answer sheet in hand.

Tsuna blanched, "That can't be right."

Reborn hopped onto the coffee table so that he was eye-to-eye with you and Tsuna. "It's good that you were able to get subordinates. That's not bad for a Boss. Keep working harder."

Tsuna looked puzzled for a moment, realization suddenly dawning on him after he racked his brain to try and understand what Reborn was spouting. "By subordinates, do you mean Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto-kun? They're just our classmates," Tsuna informed the hitman, watching the small infant turn around and hop off the coffee table to retreat back to his original post at the explosive switches, "We don't need subordinates and we're NOT going to become some Mafia boss!"

Reborn blandly ignored your sibling as he flipped through the pages of math sheets, "Here's the next question."

"Listen!" Tsuna groaned, dropping his head in defeat once he realized that Reborn wasn't going to listen to a word he said. Releasing an annoyed sigh, Tsuna turned to you for comfort, "Why do we have to be taught by this baby…"

"Probably 'cause the universe is against us…" you replied bluntly, earning a rather perplexed stare from your brother in return.

"What are you…no, wait…you're probably right," Tsuna sighed, releasing a small puff of air at the mere thought of your response. Turning his head to the left, Tsuna gazed out the window to try and calm himself down with the scenery. However, instead of seeing the clear blue sky like he had envisioned, Tsuna blanched when he managed to catch sight of a small child dawning a cow suit. The worse part? He was packing loads of ammo and horrific weapons that no five-year-old should harbor!

"T-T-Tsuya!" your brother cried frantically, immediately grasping your attention due to his panicked state.

"What? What is it, Nii-san?" you asked, swiftly appearing by your brother's side and following his troubled gaze outside the window. When you caught sight of the small child outside carrying all of those hazardous weapons, you nearly fell over from shock. "The hell! What is WRONG with this world?"

Reborn pretended not to hear either one of you or sibling's frantic shouts. He merely went about his 'normal' routine and asked you both the next question. "Here we use this formula."

"Hey Reborn…" Tsuna interrupted, hastily scrambling over to the infant's side while gesturing outside to the small child perched atop of the tree branch right outside your window, "over there…"

"Die! Reborn!" the cow child shouted, pulling a small handgun out from within its cow suit pocket (that thing had pockets?). Aiming the handgun at Reborn, the cow child took aim, closing its right eye and sticking its tongue out in concentration. You almost 'awed' at the rather adorable odd scene – if it wasn't for the fact that the tree branch beneath the small child's feet suddenly gave way, sending the poor thing crashing down to the ground below.

"Ack! That's a two-story fall!" you panicked, rushing over to your window and frantically peering down to see the cow child flat on its back, tears welling up in its eyes as the child tried its best to remain calm despite the injury it had just sustained. Tsuna immediately joined you by your side, gazing down with concern flashing through his brown eyes. "Hey, are you okay, kid?"

"I gotta be…calm," the child sniveled, giving a small shake of its head to try and motivate itself to get up.

"What's he doing?" you asked your brother, leaning out the window a bit to watch the cow child scramble up and rush over to your front door and out of your line of view. You paused, curious as to what that child could possibly be scheming now. Your answer was solved when the doorbell for your house chimed, catching not only you and Tsuna, but Nana by surprise as well. Reborn continued to act as though he knew nothing about what was transpiring right now, earning some rather odd looks from you and Tsuna in return.

SLAM

You and Tsuna yelped, your attention locking on to your bedroom door which had been slammed open by that cow child who was currently standing in the center of your entryway, glaring daggers at the 'oblivious' hitman seated at the coffee table with you and Tsuna.

"It's been a while, Reborn!" the cow child obnoxiously stated, his voice echoing loudly throughout your room. "It is me, Lambo!"

"It came in," Tsuna yelped in surprise. He turned his attention to his tutor, still keeping a wary gaze on the new comer, "Is this someone you know?" Tsuna began to question Reborn, only to trail off when he noticed that the hitman refused to acknowledge the arrival of 'Lambo'.

"Remember this formula, all right?" Reborn informed both you and your twin, ignoring the blanched look on your faces.

Lambo hunched over, mortified that Reborn hadn't even bothered to give him the slightest bit of greeting or acknowledgement. You couldn't help but feel a little bad for the lack of attention aimed at the small child, however, your compassion instantly faded when Lambo suddenly launched himself at Reborn with a large irk mark on his head. "Hey! Don't ignore me!"

Reborn deflected the attack without even batting an eyelash by slamming his hand into Lambo's face, sending the child barreling backwards and smashing brutally into your bedroom wall, leaving an indent from the harsh impact. You and Tsuna observed the situation with sweatdrops, both of your thoughts entwining together in agreement that that was just plain cruel. Poor Lambo…

"I tripped on something…" Lambo muttered to himself in a wavering tone, slowly sliding down to the floor. Turning his body slightly so that his face was no longer smashed against your bedroom wall, Lambo laughed to himself, snot oozing from his nose as he tried his hardest not to cry. "The 5 year-old Hitman Lambo of the Bovino family, who came from Italy, has tripped! My favorite foods are grapes and candy drops! The sworn rival of Reborn, Lambo, has tripped! HAHAHAHAHA!"

_*He's trying to introduce himself while crying…*_ you and Tsuna thought to yourselves incredulously, watching Lambo bawl his eyes out after his rather odd introduction.

One minute he was down, the next, he was up. You watched on with a sweatdrop as Lambo animatedly walked over to Reborn, sparkles appearing above his head while he waved to his rival in greeting. "It's so nice to see you again, Reborn! "

Access – DENIED!

"Try solving this with the formula," Reborn instructed, tapping his finger against the problem he wished for you to solve on your paper, completely ignoring Lambo's advances to try and gain his attention.

"What? You're ignoring him?" Tsuna asked his hitman in disbelief.

Lambo came to an immediate halt after another blow was inflicted to his ego from Reborn's 'rejection'. Swiftly turning his back on your group, Lambo sniffled loudly while trying to regain his composure. You felt your heart tug, sympathy showing through your gentle brown orbs as you gazed at the small child, hearing his strained mutter of "Gotta be…calm…"

Finally turning around after having regained his composure, you and Tsuna exchanged nervous glances upon notice of the rather odd smile Lambo was harboring while his left hand dove into the large afro adorning his head. He seemed to be fishing around for something, and when he had managed to find it, you and Tsuna nearly fell back in alarm when Lambo pulled his hand out to reveal a pink grenade held tightly in his grasp (where the HELL do these babies get their ammo, anyway?).

"Oh my, I wonder what this is?" Lambo asked aloud, feigning innocence. "Ta da!"

You and Tsuna threw all rationality out the window and dove behind the safety of your bed, watching on with anxious eyes at the unfolding scene before you. The two of you flinched, ducking for cover when you witnessed Lambo tossing the small grenade at the still ignorant hitman, Reborn. Yet, as fate would have it, Reborn easily deflected the dangerous weapon with a simply slap from the back of his left hand, sending the weapon hurling back at the dumbstruck Lambo. Yours and Tsuna's jaws dropped while witnessing the grenade slamming in to poor Lambo's face, sending the poor child flying off his feet and right outside your bedroom windo—oh snap!

_BOOM_

Your whole room illuminated with light from the huge explosion that had just occurred right outside your bedroom window. You and Tsuna watched on with blank expressions, your hair fluttering wildly from the force of wind caused by the explosion. Why was it that you have _yet_ to see a police officer at your house's front doorstep? Haven't the neighbors been at all concerned from the horrific combustions that have been transpiring all morning long!

"Now the next question," Reborn continued on with his lecture as if nothing had ever interrupted it in the first place.

"You really didn't need to go that far. You know him, right?" Tsuna asked the hitman seated across from him, still a pit perturbed by Reborn's lack of affection towards anyone.

Turning his head to the side, Reborn shrugged his shoulders innocently, "I don't know him."

"What?" you turned your attention away from the window to stare at Reborn with a look of skepticism. "How can you say that, Reborn? It didn't seem like Lambo was fibbing when he was introducing himself…and from the bizarre way you two reacted with one another, I'd say you two know each other."

Reborn waved his right hand back and forth in a dismissive manner. "Anyway, the Bovino family is small compared to the medium sized Mafia. I can't be bothered with lower-ranking people."

"H-he's so cool…" Tsuna muttered under his breath, completely taken in awe by the hitman's arrogance.

You, on the other hand, were NOT impressed with Reborn's lack of compassion. "Who _cares_ if Lambo is from a lower-ranking family? He's just a child! You should know better than to smack him around, Reborn! Honestly! Aren't you supposed to be teaching us how to be good bosses? How on earth are we going to be worthy members of the Vongola if we don't even appreciate potential subordinates merely because their ranks are _lower _ours? Ugh. Forget it! I'm going to go check up on poor Lambo."

Swiftly rising from your 'safety' spot, you rushed out of your bedroom.

"T-Tsuya!" Tsuna frantically called after you, rushing to stand up as well. Just as he was about to go rushing after you, Reborn's voice brought him to a halt.

"Leave her be, Tsuna," Reborn instructed in a firm tone, his onyx gaze still locked on the math equations in his answer book, "You need to finish your homework, remember?"

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Lamboooo~"

You paused in your search for the small Bovino child, listening intently for any sound originating from the boisterous infant. Your brown eyes scanned the area for some kind of sign of Lambo's existence. Unfortunately for you, it was like poor Lambo had just disappeared into thin air! Then again…what do you expect after having to witness the Mafioso child having been blown clear across your front yard? You couldn't help but worry for Lambo's welfare. Hopefully he was still in one piece, wherever he might be. Your right hand dropped into your right jean's pocket, feeling the small bag of candy you had brought along with you to help calm Lambo down when you found him, however…

"Gotta be…calm!"

Blinking owlishly after hearing the sniveling voice float through the air, you glanced around to try and find the source. A small frown appeared on your lips after a few fruitless minutes of searching. Just where exactly had the voice originated from?

Plip. Plip.

"Eh?" you blinked a couple of times when two small drops of water had suddenly fallen on your cheek. Lifting your head up, you nearly fell over in surprise when you caught sight of Lambo stuck in a tree. His teary-eyed expression locked on to your small form below, his eyes watering even more (if that was possible). Instantly panicking at the sight of new tears, you waved your hands frantically in a small effort to try and calm the poor boy down. "D-don't cry, Lambo! I'll get you down, just hold on!"

A couple minutes (and a few screams from Lambo) later, you had successfully managed to reach Lambo and bring him back down to safety. The small child had still appeared to be traumatized from the whole ordeal, but after you had pulled out your bag of candy as a peace offering, Lambo's tears had quickly evaporated and he had found a comfortable sitting position in your lap while he munched away happily on his delicious treat.

"What a morning…" you sighed to yourself with a sweatdrop, gently combing a hand through Lambo's afro (which by the way, was _oddly_ silky, considering it was an 'afro'!).

"You're nice, lady!" Lambo chimed with a mouthful of candy, "You can be Lambo's henchman and give Lambo candy all the time!"

A soft laugh left your lips after hearing Lambo's childish offer. Giving the child's head a small pat, you allowed a smile to grace your lips. "Thanks, Lambo. I might just take you up on that offer…"

Lambo didn't bother to reply, he was far too busy eating his candy to care at the moment. Leaning your back against the trunk of the tree you had found the Bovino child in, you silently watched Lambo eat his confections to the point where it looked as though he was merely inhaling the sweet treats instead of actually chewing them. The hand you had used to comb through Lambo's afro drifted down to situate itself near the child's back, just in case he needed a good whack should he end up chocking. Better safe than sorry, ne?

"Ushishishi~"

Your body instinctively tensed the moment you heard that eerie, yet oddly enough, distinctive laughter. Subconsciously tightening your hold on Lambo, you slowly turned your head to the right, your eyes widening in shock when they had landed on none other than Prince the Creeper. You couldn't help but flinch when that sinister grin appeared on his features when he noticed your gaze focusing on him. Oh boy. Just what he needs – an ego boost. Yayz…

"What are you doing here, weirdo?" you groaned, pulling Lambo closer to your body while the child remained oblivious to the danger that had just presented itself to you both.

The 'prince' arched a brow in amusement, snickering aloud at the annoyance laced within your tone when you had asked your question. Sashaying over to your side with a grace you didn't think the dude could possess, the 'prince' hovered over your small form, his grin widening even further (how DOES he do that!). "Ushishishi! Hel~lo, princess. Did you miss your prince?"

"Honestly? **No.**" you deadpanned, wanting nothing more than to flip the dude off. You were still extremely sore about Gokudera sustaining an injury in order to protect you from this…freak.

"Not even a _little_ bit~?" the 'prince' cooed, running a hand through your brown locks. Now to most, this small gesture would probably have appeared as 'romantic', if it wasn't for the fact that the 'prince' suddenly grasped your silky brown locks in an iron hold and gave it a harsh tug when you didn't reply right away. "Aww, don't be like that, princess."

Slapping psycho dude's hand away, your brown eyes flashed with anger. "Don't touch me, weirdo! Keep your hands to yourself and _maybe_ I won't castrate you, you bastard!"

The 'prince' gave his signature laugh after hearing your threat. "Oh? Does the princess really think she can lay a finger on her prince? That would be considered treason~"

"Like I give a rat's ass…" you grumbled bitterly to yourself.

"That's very un-lady like, princess," the 'prince' chimed, leaning closer to you, which in turn, caused you to slowly scoot away.

"What are you? Some kind of stalker?" you spat impatiently, still a little on edge that this weirdo had managed to find you again in such a short amount of time. The 'prince' merely laughed at your uptight response to his earlier statement. Giving an innocent shrug (which by the way, didn't look so innocent), the 'prince' moved even _closer_ to you despite your obvious warnings of 'back-the-HELL-off-bub!'.

"You could say something like tha~at…" the 'prince' chuckled, his grin still evident on his features.

"Tell the grinning gopher to go away! He's creepy!" Lambo interrupted, pelting a small handful of candy at the blonde man's face. "Haha! Take that! The great Lambo-san wins again! Hahahaha!"

…

S-I-L-E-N-C-E

…

_*L-L-Lambo!*_ your mind wailed, anime tears streaming down your face after having witnessed Lambo's 'assault' to the psycho freak.

With one quick swipe, the 'prince' brushed the sticky confections off of his face, his grin appearing to be forced now as an irk mark appeared on his head. Allowing his right hand to drift down into his coat pocket, the 'prince's' grin turned into a sneer. "Ushishishi~ you must have a death wish, kid. The prince doesn't like children, you know," pulling his hand out of his pocket to reveal the small silver throwing knife grasped firmly in his hold, the 'prince's' sneer turned into a malicious grin. "Well~ the prince has been in need of some new leather. Ushishishi~"

Both yours and Lambo's faces automatically paled after hearing the deranged psycho's threat. Before you even had time to digest the situation, Lambo screeched, holding on to you like some kind of life preserver when the 'prince' suddenly launched himself at you both, gracefully swiping his knife through the air and just narrowly missing you and Lambo when your body suddenly went to 'fight or flight' mode and instinctively ducked on its own accord.

"Holy sh~" you cursed, your mind in a haze due to the adrenaline pumping through your veins. Securely wrapping your right arm around Lambo to hold the child in place, your left hand was placed on the ground swiftly while still in the motion of your evasive duck maneuver. Using your hand on the ground to give your body leverage, you narrowed your eyes while brining your right leg around in a kick-sweep. The 'prince' quickly read your movements and managed to dance out of harm's way before you could successfully knock him off of his feet, earning a rather displeased growl from you in reply.

"Ushishishi! Who would've thought the princess has spunk?" the 'prince' chuckled, effortlessly twirling his small throwing knife in his right hand.

Lambo quivered in your hold, staring wide-eyed at the 'prince' standing a few feet away from you. Instantly picking up on the child's discomfort, you gave Lambo a small squeeze to reassure him that everything would be okay. Allowing your brown eyes to drift back over to the 'prince', you narrowed your eyes as a new resolve reflected brightly in your gaze. There was _no way_ you were going to let this freak put Lambo in harm's way again. The psycho had already hurt Gokudera, a treason you were in no way going to forgive any time soon! You _owed_ it to Gokudera to stand up for yourself and protect others, and gosh darn it! You were NOT going to back down now.

Surprise was evident on the 'prince's' features when noticed the drastic change in your personality. You were no longer harboring any inkling fear towards him. In fact, you only seemed to harbor pure anger for him. Oh? How interesting… this was definitely something he should look in to. You were certainly starting to intrigue the 'prince' to no end. This was certainly going to be fun~ "Ushishishi!"

"Tsuya!"

Both you and the 'prince' turned your heads towards the source of the voice. Your jaw nearly dropped when you caught sight of your brother running over to your side. The moment he reached you, Tsuna hunched over, placing his hands on his knees while he tried his best to catch his breath after having frantically searched for you for the last fifteen minutes. Lifting his head slightly to cast a quick glance your way to make sure you were all right, Tsuna released a loud sigh in relief. "Don't run off like that, Tsuya! You nearly gave me a heart attack when you left the house!"

"Nii-san! Be careful, the psycho-! Eh?" you cut yourself off, staring blankly at the spot where the 'prince' had been just moments ago. Now, it was as if he had pulled off a Harry Houdini trick and evaporated into thin air! Why was it that ALL the weirdos were able to that, anyhow? It's just not logical!

"What?" Tsuna asked, standing straight after finally regaining his lost breath. Your twin shot you a quizzical look, following your gaze to the vacant space a few feet away. "What are you looking at, Tsuya? Is something wrong?"

"Uh…n-no. Nothing's wrong, Nii-san," you replied warily, turning your attention onto your twin. "Sorry to have worried you like that."

Tsuna observed your troubled expression, easily seeing through the smile you placed on in order to convince him that all was well. Placing a hand gently over his stomach, a small frown appeared on Tsuna's lips. "Are you sure about that, Tsuya? Just a few minutes ago, I felt my stomach twist up into knots out of fear…and my heart wouldn't stop pumping. It was like it was gonna burst or something!" your brother related to you, causing your eyes to widen in surprise, "I know that horrible feeling I felt wasn't mine to begin with…something happened to you while we were separated, am I right?

The way Tsuna's eyes reflected his panic and concern for your well being pulled on your heart strings. You felt horrible for having to make your brother worry over you like this…but to have to tell him about the weird stalker you had just managed to find yourself with… was it _really_ worth telling Tsuna? I mean, of course he's your twin and twins tell each other EVERYTHING, but, perhaps… maybe you _shouldn't_ tell him? Knowing Tsuna, he would instantly go into his panic meltdown phase and constantly fuss over your safety, completely throwing his own welfare out the window just to make sure you were all right. No. You didn't want that. Tsuna shouldn't have to worry over you 24/7 (even though he pretty much does that anyway). He doesn't need to know about your stalker problem. Besides, it was pretty much your fault to begin with. There was simply no need to drag Tsuna into the situation when you could handle it yourself. He had enough things to worry about without you adding more problems for Tsuna to fret over.

"Eh?" Tsuna blinked owlishly, not having expected you to suddenly up and hug him without any explanation (scratch that, you were a_lways_ hugging him for no reason). "T-Tsuya?" your brother squeaked timidly, a light blush staining his face when he felt you tighten your hold around him. Burying your face in your brother's shirt, you inhaled Tsuna's intoxicating scent, allowing it to calm your senses. Lambo fidgeted uncomfortably in your hold, not at all pleased that he was currently being 'squashed' between the two Sawada twins.

"Nii-san…" you mumbled, tightening your hold on your brother even further in your embrace, "I'm sorry for worrying you so much. I know my emotions have been a little…turmoil…" you trailed off, feeling Tsuna's arms gently wrap around your small form to return your hug, "I'm just having to deal with a problem right now, that's all."

Tsuna's body tensed after hearing that you were currently faced with a problem. "What do you mean! Did someone attack you? Are you being bullied? Wait no…that couldn't happen…ack! You've got some pervert harassing you, is that it?" Tsuna questioned frantically, his brown eyes locking with yours as he tried desperately to seek out the answer that you had hidden from him.

"Nii-san…"

"Why are you hiding this from me, Tsuya? Do you not trust me?" Tsuna asked you, hurt reflecting in his beautiful eyes, eliciting a flinch from you when you realized that you had been the one who was causing your brother such pain at the moment.

"N-no. It's nothing like that…" you trailed off, averting your gaze from Tsuna.

Tsuna released you from the hug so that he could grasp your arms and hold you firmly in place. His normally gentle brown eyes were now filled with determination. He was going to get an answer from you, one way or another. "Tsuya, ever since Reborn showed up all sorts of crazy things have been happening to us. I know Reborn is trying to train us to be rightful heirs to the Vongola…but if that means I won't be able to read your heart anymore…if I can't be the person you're able to confide in…then I refuse to have any part in this madness if it means I can't be with you anymore!"

"N-Nii-san!" you could feel heat flood through your cheeks after hearing Tsuna's heartfelt declaration.

"Tsuya, I want you to open your heart for me again. I've had this strange feeling, like you were closing it bit by bit after Reborn showed up and then Gokudera…it's like you don't want me to see how you're _really_ feeling right now," Tsuna said, his eyes hardening slightly after having felt like his heart was slowly feel like it was disconnecting with yours. He didn't want that to happen. No. He **refused** to let that happen! "I know I worry a lot about you…and I know that I may overreact some times when I find out that you're having trouble with something, but…I'm your twin! I'm _supposed_ to feel like that. We're connected in a way no other person is, Tsuya. We know each other better than our parents know us, and we're always there for each other because…because…"

You appeared as though you were a deer caught in the headlights. Tsuna's outburst had caught you off guard. You hadn't really given it much thought that Tsuna could be fretting over you even _more_ than usual due to you having hid your emotions from your brother so that he wouldn't worry. After feeling so much turmoil these past few days…you hadn't taken into account that Tsuna knew exactly how you felt. To think, you've been feeling so emotional lately and having Tsuna suffer along with you without even giving him so much as a simple explanation as to why. Ugh! How could you do that to him? You two were…

"We're one in the same!" Tsuna declared, his brown eyes burning brightly with a boldness that seemed to be appearing more and more from within those depths quite frequently.

Making sure to lock gazes with you, Tsuna allowed his emotions to flow through his body and into your own. Your irises trembled slightly when you suddenly felt your twin's emotions enter your system and pretty much override your senses. It was like an emotional rollercoaster…then again…what did you expect? You and Tsuna were known to have quite the turbulent emotions. No one else was able to understand you better than your beloved twin, Tsuna (and for him, vice versa). After coming to the conclusion that you had finally registered his feelings, Tsuna loosened his grip on you, allowing his arms to wrap around your waist and pull you to him in a loving embrace. A small squeak was all you heard from Lambo when he found himself caged in yet _another_ Sawada sibling hug.

"Promise me that there will be no more secrets from now on, okay?" Tsuna mumbled softly, his warm breath fanning against the shell of your ear.

"N-Nii-san," you whimpered, tears welling up in your eyes but refusing to shed.

"Lambo-san does not appreciate being squished! Leggo! Leggo! LEGGO!" Lambo screamed, kicking his legs and arms throughout his whole tantrum in a vain effort to be released from the 'tender' moment.

A few feet away, a woman with magenta hair observed the scene with piercing olive eyes. She remained unnoticed by both you and Tsuna. The two of you were too wrapped up in one another to realize her sudden appearance. After watching you both for a couple more minutes, observing the way you and Tsuna reacted with one another and then with the Bovino child's tantrum, the woman decided she had seen enough. Turning her back to your group, she flipped some of her silky magenta locks over her shoulder and began her trek home, completely undetected by either you or your sibling.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

It was 8:15am, and the sound of you and Tsuna scrambling about in your room while trying to get everything organized before school started could be heard from the level below, causing a smile to light up on Nana's face when she heard her two children going through the daily routine. Reborn was currently munching on a delightful entrée that Nana had cooked him for breakfast, happily slurping up the spaghetti noodles with ease. The commotion above grew louder when the obnoxious voice of Lambo pierced through the serene silence.

"NoOoOoOo! Don't leave Lambo-san, Tsu-chan!"

Reborn gave a small roll of his eyes. He wasn't pleased with your decision to house the Bovino child, and he had made that quite clear by constantly harassing the boy until he would eventually burst into tears (which honestly didn't take much to cause) and wail for hours on end until you were able to successfully calm him down. Annoyed by the infamous hitman's harsh beatings on 'poor' Lambo (why on earth would you baby that obnoxious child, anyway?), you decided it was best if Lambo roomed with you and Tsuna. The Bovino child insisted that he sleep by your side, earning himself some rather dark looks (Reborn found this amusing) from Tsuna when he realized that Lambo would be taking up most of your attention now. It was most endearing, Reborn mused, to watch Lambo and Tsuna go at it in the oddest of ways to try and claim your attention. Who would have thought that Tsuna was the jealous type? Reborn made a mental note to test his student on that particular emotion later.

"Lambo, I won't be gone for long. I'm just going to school for a couple of hours and then I'll be home before you know it."

"Lambo-san wants to come with you, Tsu-chan!"

"No way! Tsuya doesn't need you tagging along, Lambo. You'll only get her in trouble with the Discipline Committee! Just stay home and try not to destroy anything while we're gone."

"No one asked you, No-good Tsuna!"

"Don't call me that!"

_CRASH_

"Lambo!"

"Tsuuuuuuya! Save meeeeee!"

Reborn listened to the chaotic scene transpiring on the floor above, his face taking on a blank expression when he heard the destruction Lambo was causing in his fight (more like a children's quarrel) against Tsuna. It hasn't even been one full day since you had decided to take the Bovino child in and he has already found himself treading on thin lines with not only Tsuna, but Reborn as well. The hitman impatiently drummed his fingers against the tabletop, images flashing through his mind's eye with all sorts of ideas for Lambo's removal from the Sawada residence. A small smirk appeared on Reborn's lips at the rather…_intense_…precautions he whipped up in his mind to unleash on the obnoxious Bovino 'assassin'. This could prove to be a rather eventful day~

DING-DONG

Nana paused in her current chore of washing the vegetables for this evening's dinner. Whipping her hands on her apron while making her way over to the front door, a smile graced the woman's lips when she opened the door to find none other than Irie Shouichi standing on the other side. "Ah! Shou-chan! Are you here to pick up Tsu-kun and Tsu-chan?"

Shouichi opened his mouth to respond, only to be cut off in surprise when Tsuna suddenly came barreling down the stairs, dragging you behind him as he bolted for the front door as if the house were on fire. Shouichi had to quickly jump out of the way to avoid being pummeled by the eldest Sawada twin, watching on with wide eyes when he realized that Tsuna showed no signs of stopping to wait for him while running down the sidewalk towards Namimori High School, a completely baffled you being dragged along by your beloved twin. "H-hey! Wait for me, guys!" Shouichi yelped, instantly taking off to try and catch up with the extremely evasive Tsuna.

Nana blinked owlishly, watching the three teens slowly begin to disappear from view. Reborn watched the rather odd scene from the top of your front yard's fence, still merrily munching away on his pasta. It was then Lambo came rushing out of the house, tears streaming down his face like overflowing rivers. The Bovino child raced off in your direction, wailing your name while frantically waving his arms. Reborn snorted at the pathetic scene, hopping off of the fence to return inside your house to finish his meal in peace.

It was just another typical morning in the Sawada household.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"What was _that_ all about?" Shouichi questioned, finally having regained his breath after having to chase you and Tsuna for the last five blocks. The red-head adjusted his glasses, his green eyes drifting over to Tsuna's rather irritated expression. Allowing his eyes to trail downwards a bit, Shouichi took notice of the way your brother held your hand in a rather possessive grip. What could have possibly upset your twin to the point where he felt the need to express his annoyance (and possessiveness) so openly?

"Sorry, Shuo-chan," you apologized, flashing the boy one of your brilliant smiles, causing a rather obvious blush to appear on your nerdy friend's face due to your cute action. Shyly averting his gaze to the ground, Shouichi timidly mumbled 'it's all right'.

Tsuna tightened his hold on your hand, tugging your body closer to his when he noticed that your attention wasn't solely focused on him. He could feel his stomach twisting into knots, a motion caused by your lack of attention for him. Although he hated to admit it, ever since Lambo showed up yesterday evening, you had been so absorbed with the child that you hardly had any time to even glance Tsuna's way, upsetting your twin a great deal due to the fact that a child clad in a _cow suit_ was able to draw your focus entirely on him. Tsuna personally liked to think of himself as a boy having escaped the clutches of the 'green-eyed monster', however… after having to put up with Lambo, then end up having the child sleeping in _your_ bed with _you_ when it was originally supposed to be just you and Tsuna -- that just did NOT bode well with your brother.

_*Whoa!*_ you thought to yourself in surprise, your eyes widening slightly when you felt Tsuna's torrid emotions whirling wildly throughout your body. Subconsciously tightening your hand on your brother's, you nearly felt your knees buckle due to the overwhelming feelings flowing through your system. Your heart clenched tightly, as if its heartstrings were being tugged upon without your consent. It was then you felt the jealously bubbling in the pit of your stomach, warm at first, soon evolving into a burning sensation which caused you to flinch. How on earth could Tsuna be feeling so…so… oh.

Planting your feet firmly to the ground, you remained stationed like a rock, tugging your brother back to you when he tried to subconsciously pull you forward despite your reluctance. A surprise yelp could be heard from Tsuna when he felt himself being jerked back by his own hand from having been connected to yours. Shouichi came to a halt, turning his body slightly so that he was facing both you and your brother, watching you with a rather curious expression etched across his adorable features.

"Nii-san," you called to your twin in a rather firm tone.

Tsuna blinked owlishly, wondering why you had brought your group to a stop. "Eh? What is it, Tsuya?"

"I can't believe you're _jealous _of Lambo, Nii-san!" you exclaimed with an incredulous expression on your face.

A dark blush of embarrassment splashed across Tsuna's face due to your accusation. "W-what?"

"You're like an open book to me, Nii-san. We're twins, remember?" you reminded the boy, "Honestly. How could you be jealous of Lambo?" you paused, feeling the heated emotions roiling in your system. Allowing your eyes to lock on your brother's, you were surprised to find Tsuna's eyes shaded with a rather dark tint of jealousy at the mention of the Bovino child. Was Tsuna really that upset about you caring for Lambo these past couple of hours? The burning sensation in your gut easily directed you to the answer 'yes'. Releasing a small sigh, you gave Tsuna's hand a small tug, pulling the boy in your direction and catching him by surprise when you planted a loving kiss on his cheek.

"You know I'll _always_ love you best, Nii-san."

Shouichi couldn't help but chuckle softly in amusement when he caught sight of the dark hue staining Tsuna's face as the boy sputtered incoherent words. It was always such a delight to watch the adorable interactions held between you and Tsuna whenever you two hung out with Shouichi. Your red-headed friend loved to spend endless hours with you and your brother whenever he could. The three of you have been friends since preschool, having grown closer and closer over the years. Your friendship was something Shouichi treasured deeply. Ever since he had befriended you and Tsuna at a young age, his life just seemed to get brighter and brighter the more he remained in your presence. Shouichi didn't have to worry about stature when he was with you two…he could simply be his nerdy self and know he was accepted by you both no matter what. It was because of you and Tsuna that Shouichi was able to gather enough courage to befriend Spanner.

Shouichi smiled fondly to himself, watching you interact tenderly with Tsuna. Yes, you two certainly had a huge influence on his life, that much was certain. Shouichi felt as though he was t_ruly_ blessed to have you and Tsuna as his best friends.

"Tsuuuuuya! Quit teasing me!" Tsuna wailed pathetically, his face still flushed from your earlier taunts and acts of affection.

Giving a small roll of your eyes, you leaned over and placed one last kiss on Tsuna's cheek. "Don't be such a drama king, Nii-san. You know I love ya~"

Tsuna averted his gaze from your loving expression, his cheeks appearing to be stained with a permanent blush. He could feel the twisted emotions of jealously slowly beginning to fade away until it was nothing more than a simple sizzle in his gut, fading away to nonexistence when you gave his hand a gentle squeeze. His heart thudded against his ribcage in pure delight, easily expressing Tsuna's relief after you had fawned over him (finally!). Tsuna's eyes regained their original shimmer, his smile gracing his lips and morphing into a full out grin when he suddenly tugged your hand and pulled you into a loving embrace.

"Kodak moment~" Shouichi sang, his eyes glistening with mirth as he observed you and Tsuna.

"Nii-san! Leggo!" you laughed, trying to pull yourself free from your brother's iron hold after remaining in his hug for the past three minutes. "We're gonna be late for school!"

The sound of bike tires screeching to a stop caught your group's attention. Turning your heads, you all blinked in surprise when you saw a woman parked on her bike just a few feet away from you. Lifting her hands up to her helmet, the woman pulled the protection gear off in a graceful motion, revealing her magenta hair which seemed to blow gently in an unseen breeze. The moment she opened her eyes, you were shocked to find that they were the exact color of Gokudera's – a beautiful shade of pale olive. The woman flashed your brother a flirtatious smile, causing your brother to stiffen slightly by your side.

_*What a good-looking person…*_ your group thought together in awe.

"Here, you can have this," the woman spoke, gracefully tossing a can of soda at your brother before riding off without another word.

Tsuna yelped in surprise, fumbling around as he tried his best to catch the soda, only to have it slip through his grasp and fall to the ground with a rather audible 'thud'. The force from the fall had caused the lid of the can to snap open, allowing the contents of the drink to pour out and onto the pavement. Tsuna blanched at his clumsy move, dropping his head in defeat. "I look so un-cool…"

Grabbing a hold of your sibling's hand, you gave it an affectionate squeeze. "You're not 'un-cool', Nii-san," you reassured your brother with a smile, "you're the coolest person I know!"

Cue the embarrassed blush.

You giggled adorably at the pink tinge staining your brother's face, managing to elicit a small laugh from Shouichi as well. Tsuna groaned softly, silently hoping that his blush would fade soon. He has had enough embarrassment for one day, and to think, he still had a whole day of school to endure. Oh well. At least you would be there by his side, and that made everything worthwhile. Smiling at that last thought, Tsuna directed his attention to the spilled can of soda, intent on cleaning it up before moving on. However, Tsuna froze when he noticed a horrible purple vapor emitting from the spilt contents of the soda. Your group ceased its merriment to huddle around the strange occurrence, watching the liquid burn through the pavement like acid. It was then a black raven fell to the ground by Tsuna's feet – dead.

"What the hell?"

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"What was that…" Tsuna asked you, slowly treading through the halls of your school with you practically glued to his hip. After the _weird_ incident occurred while on your walk with Shouichi, the three of you had rushed over to Namimori High School (people you whizzed by could have sworn you three were participating in some kind of track race). After seeing that you two were safely dropped off, Shouichi left for his own school. Neither you nor Tsuna could figure out what exactly had transpired earlier that morning, but it was NOT an experience either of you were willing to endure again.

"I'm not sure, Nii-san," you replied warily, still keeping a firm hold on your brother's hand, "We're lucky you didn't ingest that stuff. Your whole digestive system would've been totaled!"

Tsuna's face paled at your statement. "H-how horrible!"

"We've definitely got to keep an eye out for that woman," you informed your brother, slightly tightening your grip your brother's hand. If Tsuna had accepted that soda…he wouldn't be with you right now. The mere thought terrified you to no end. If anything happened to Tsuna… no, you wouldn't allow any harm to befall your beloved twin. You'd just have to keep a sharp eye out for any potential harm or threat aimed at your brother. You were sure you could handle that. After all, you concluded to yourself as Tsuna slid open the door to your classroom; you had a certain someone in mind to help you with watching over Tsuna.

"Good morning, 10th! Princess!"

"Gokudera-kun!" you squealed in delight, your eyes sparkling with mirth when you noticed your loyal subordinate standing in the classroom's entryway. Tsuna blinked in surprise, noting how your whole demeanor lit up the moment Gokudera made an appearance. The silver-haired Mafioso also seemed to have picked up on your enthusiasm for him, causing his face to flush in embarrassment.

"H-hello, Princess~" Gokudera stuttered bashfully.

Tsuna gave your hand a small tug in a silent gesture to remind you that he wanted to be the center of attention for you. He wasn't used to having to share you with others…and with Gokudera and Lambo popping up recently; well…they were starting to earn some of HIS well deserved attention from you. After having remained undetected by others for long, Tsuna had grown quite fond and accustomed to the idea of only relying on you and vice versa. Now, that reality was slowly beginning to diminish…and it was all thanks to Reborn. An annoyed frown appeared on Tsuna's lips at the thought of the hitman that had changed both his and your lives forever.

Footsteps could be heard approaching your group. When the person reached yours and Tsuna's side, you blinked in surprise when you found Yamamoto smiling widely at your group. "Oh, you're still playing the Mafia game? Looks like fun! Let me join into the 'family' thing too."

"Y-Yamamoto," Tsuna blanched, appalled by the idea that Yamamoto thought your Mafia affairs were all but a mere game.

Gokudera wasn't at all pleased with the idea of Yamamoto joining your 'family'. He made that quite clear by allowing his anger to flash through his eyes while he took a step forward, ready to challenge the baseball captain in your honor. "What? You're after becoming the 10th's and Princess' right hand man!" Gokudera seethed, pointing accusingly at the oblivious teen standing across from him, "It won't go that easily. The 10th's and Princess' right hand man is ME!"

"Let's just forget about all this boss and subordinate stuff," Tsuna persuaded, desperate to try and change the subject. Neither Gokudera nor Yamamoto seemed to hear your brother's plea.

Yamamoto continued to try and convince Gokudera to accept him in to your little Mafia family. "Come on, let me into your group. The more the merrier, right?"

Yamamoto's last sentence had been directed at you, earning a rather heated glare from your silver-haired subordinate when he caught sight of Yamamoto locking gazes with you. "Grrr…! Don't act so friendly with the Princess!" Gokudera shouted bitterly, stamping his right foot to express his anger.

Tsuna could feel his stomach slowly begin to form knots yet again when he saw how Gokudera and Yamamoto were bickering for your attention. You appeared to be amused by the boys' odd conversation, while Tsuna on the other hand, was FAR from amused. Your twin tightened his hold on your hand in a possessive manner when he noticed both Gokudera's and Yamamoto's gazes land on your small form. No…he was most certainly NOT used to sharing you with others (and he wasn't about to start anytime soon).

"You guys, you're in the way."

Turning around to face the source of the voice, you and Tsuna were startled to find Hana staring at you two with a blank expression on her face. Kyoko stood to the girl's right, shooting you both a dazzling smile. "Good morning, Tsuna-kun, Tsuya-chan."

"K-Kyoko-chan! Good morning," your sibling stuttered shyly, sheepishly inching closer to you to try and calm his torrent nerves. He was still riled up over the fact that you now had boys fighting for your attention (why did it have to be Gokudera and Yamamoto!), and now his emotions were on override since Kyoko suddenly made an appearance. Ugh. Tsuna was most certainly NOT ready for today's events to unwind – especially if that meant Reborn would be involved somehow.

"Tsuya-chan, is that yours and Tsuna-kun's brother?" Kyoko asked curiously, directing her gaze to the ground and gesturing to the child clinging on to your leg as if his life depended on it.

"Eh?" both you and Tsuna blinked owlishly, following Kyoko's gaze only to have your faces take on the expression of surprise when you found Lambo clutching you tightly while showing no signs of letting go anytime soon. "What! Since when?"

"Who is he?" Gokudera questioned, peering curiously over your shoulder to glance at the small Bovino child.

Yamamoto laughed. "Oh, it's cute!"

"How old are you, little boy?" Kyoko asked, kneeling down so that she could see eye-to-eye with the child. Lambo refused to show any signs of acknowledgement towards Kyoko. Instead, he merely tightened his hold on you and sniffled loudly. Kyoko decided to try and different approach, "What's your name?"

"Is it really okay to bring him to school?" Hana asked in a nonchalant tone, eyeing Lambo with disdain.

"N-no, it's not like that…" Tsuna protested, reaching out and placing his hands around Lambo's waist, giving the child a small tug to try and pry him off your body. Lambo refused to budge, wailing loudly instead while simply tightening his hold on you even more. Exasperated, Tsuna released the child from his grasp and shot the boy an irritated look.

Instantly picking up on Tsuna's growing annoyance for Lambo, you bent over and plucked the boy off of your leg with ease. Holding Lambo out at arm's length, you stared into the watery eyes of the Bovino child. Allowing a smile to grace your lips, you brought Lambo closer to your body, cradling the child which in turn caused Lambo to calm down. Kyoko marveled at your grace for handling children so well, applauding your accomplishment with a bright smile on her face. Tsuna released a small huff, eyeing Lambo with a hint of jealousy in his gaze. Catching your brother's sight, Lambo childishly stuck his tongue out at Tsuna and snuggled closer to you.

Tsuna's right eye twitched in annoyance. *Why that little--!*

Shocked gasps and murmurs interrupted Tsuna's train of thought. Casting a glance down the hallway, Tsuna could feel his face instantly pale when he noticed the crowd hurriedly parting to make way for Hibari. The prefect stood a few feet away, his steely gaze locked on the child in your arms. You chuckled sheepishly when Hibari locked gazes with you and sent you a look that clearly said 'get-that-kid-outta-here-before-I-bite-you-to-death'. It was Tsuna who decided to take action by grabbing your arm and performing a small bow to Hibari. "I'm sorry! We'll return him immediately!"

Hibari remained stationed at his spot, simply narrowing his eyes into a glare as a response, though you could easily read through it and pick up on his silent statement of 'you-do-that'.

"Come on, Tsuya!" you released a small yelp of surprise when Tsuna began to drag you out of the school hurriedly, not giving you the time you needed to regain your balance and run with him. Instead, you were merely dragged alongside your brother, watching Hibari's harsh stare on your small form as you and Tsuna disappeared around the corner.

"10th! Princess!" Gokudera cried, rushing after you two without a second thought.

"Come back before class starts!" Yamamoto called after your group, watching the three of you disappear from sight.

"I wonder what Hibari-san will do…"

"Hibari-san is so creepy…"

"How long are you going to crowd there?" Hibari questioned the students, blandly ignoring their obnoxious whispers amongst themselves (despite the fact that he could hear EVERY word those morons were spouting). Narrowing his eyes into his infamous glare, Hibari crossed his arms over his chest, staring at the students with a look of pure disdain. "I'll eliminate you."

Needless to say, the halls were completely cleared within the next five seconds.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

__Tsuna dragged you outside to safety, leading you over to the drinking fountains where the two of you could remain from prying eyes and ears. After slowing down to a stop, Tsuna turned his body slightly to face you, his gaze landing on Lambo and forming into a rather irritated glare. "What are you doing here?" your brother questioned, still a tad sore that the two of you had nearly gotten in trouble with the head of the Discipline Committee, Hibari Kyouya.

Lambo clung on to the material of your shirt, defiantly staring back at your brother with wide sea foam eyes. "I was looking for Tsu-chan!"

Tsuna shot the child an incredulous stare. "You actually followed us to school!"

"No-good Tsuna took Tsu-chan away from me!" Lambo retorted with an irk mark, wildly waving his left hand accusingly at your older twin.

"W-what?" Tsuna sputtered in disbelief, "What do you mean 'took'? And DON'T call me that! I didn't 'take' Tsuya away from you. And another thing! She's my sister! I have every right to do whatever I please with her!" Tsuna heatedly replied with an irk mark. He paused for a moment after taking your reaction into consideration. Rerunning the last sentence in his mind, Tsuna released a small groan while sliding a hand down his face. "I probably should have worded that better…" your sibling mumbled dejectedly to himself.

"NoOoOoOo! Tsu-chan belongs to Lambo-san! No-good Tsuna can't have her!" Lambo shrieked, throwing a tantrum by wildly waving his arms and kicking his legs.

Gokudera appeared on the scene, hovering extremely close by your side. His pale olive gaze observed the small child in your arms (whom was currently throwing a fit). Gokudera's first impression of Lambo – a total wimp (not that he'd voice that out loud since you seemed to have some type of fondness for the kid). Arching a brow when Lambo's wails grew louder when Tsuna informed the boy that he would have to head home now, Gokudera silently wondered how you were so tolerant with children.

"10th, Princess, who is this kid?" Gokudera asked curiously, reaching forward to touch Lambo's afro (was that seriously real?), but instantly recoiled when Lambo screeched. What the HELL was wrong with that kid?

"Lambo…" you cooed softly, gently bouncing the small child in your hold, "calm down. There's no reason for you to cry."

Tsuna's and Gokudera's jaws dropped when Lambo immediately fell silent upon your request. Smiling brightly at Lambo's obedience, you reached your right hand into your skirt's pocket to pull out a small cherry lollipop. You had been saving it for later, but thought Lambo deserved a reward for calming down so quickly. The Bovino child's eyes widened at the sight of your sugary treat, his eyes taking on a shimmering glaze when you presented him with the confection. Hastily grabbing the candy from your hand, Lambo stuffed it into his mouth, a small hum of delight sounding from the boy to reflect his happiness.

"A-amazing…!" Gokudera breathed, completely taken by awe with your ability to handle Lambo.

Tsuna released a small huff, his eyes narrowing slightly to express his discontentment.

It was then an odd sound floated through the air, emitting from the drinking fountain behind your group. Everyone's attention was directed to the fountain, sweatdrops forming on the back of your heads when the material covering for the water faucets suddenly slid apart like doors. A chair was then raised up from the darkness below to reveal none other than Reborn perched comfortably within the leather seat, gazing at both you and Tsuna with a firm expression. "Tsuna, Tsuya, classes are starting soon! Hurry up and get back to class."

"What the HELL are you coming out from?" Tsuna freaked, extremely put off with the fact that he now had to deal with two infants.

Reborn appeared to be unfazed by your brother's typical outburst to the hitman's odd entrance. "My hideouts in this school are all connected by a secret passageway."

Tsuna wasn't amused with this fact – it only disturbed him more. "Don't just randomly do that!"

You released a puff of air, giving a small shake of your head at Reborn's crazy antics. This was nothing unusual. Honestly, it just some getting used to, that's all. "Wha?" you were caught by surprise when Lambo suddenly jumped out of your arms and landed on the ground, his sea foam gaze flashing with determination while locking on to the infamous hitman, Reborn.

"Brace yourself, Reborn!" Lambo shouted, pulling out a giant green bazooka from nowhere (how the HELL are they able to do that, anyway?) and taking aim at the tuxedo clad infant. Reborn didn't appear to feel threatened, his face taking on an expression of pure boredom as he observed the Bovino child's brash actions. Meanwhile, you, Tsuna, and Gokudera were freaking out. How on earth did Lambo even get a hold of something so dangerous?

"Reborn-san, could this kid be…" Gokudera began hastily, directing his attention to the nonchalant hitman.

"He's a hitman from the Bovino family," Reborn responded, leaning back in his seat so that he could watch the chaotic scene that would soon begin.

A small snarl left Gokduera's lips after hearing that bit of information. Allowing his olive eyes to narrow into a rather nasty glare, Gokudera placed himself between you, Tsuna, and Lambo, wielding four sticks of dynamite in each hand. "Stay back, 10th. Princess. I'll handle this!"

"Wah, no Gokudera-kun!" you protested, trying to calm your subordinate down before he could harm Lambo. However, Gokudera was already too riled up from feeling that you and Tsuna were being threatened by Lambo. Your heart began to race in panic when Gokudera ignited his explosives and threw them at the unsuspecting child without a hint of remorse. Your gaze quickly took in the child's oblivious reaction to the situation, watching Lambo lower his bazooka, his eyes widening slightly in surprise while watching the dynamite fly his way. You silently cursed in your mind, rushing forward as your body immediately reacted on its own.

"T-Tsuya, wait!" Tsuna panicked, reaching out to grab a hold of your arm to try and prevent you from going to Lambo's aid. Unfortunately for him, you were too fast and already out of reach by the time Tsuna tried to stop you. Your brother's eyes widened in fear, his stomach instantly dropping as he watched you dive for Lambo just as the dynamites exploded.

___**"TSUYA!"**_

___**"PRINCESS!"**_

Tsuna's knees gave out, causing the boy to fall to the ground. Tears welled up in Tsuna's eyes, the feeling of despair consuming him inside and out at the thought of your hurt or worse… hastily shaking his head to disperse the thought, Tsuna grasped a hold of his head with both hands, an anguished cry falling from his lips. Gokudera looked completely mortified. His irises trembled as he felt his heart drop into his stomach. Watching you throw yourself in front of Lambo to protect the child from Gokudera's own attack…ugh! What were you thinking? No. What was HE thinking? Gokudera snapped his eyes shut, pounding his fists into his head while cursing himself for his stupidity. Because of him…you were…

"Whoa…!"

Both Tsuna's and Gokudera's heads jerked up at the sound of your voice. The smoke had finally cleared after the huge explosion, leaving a clear view of a slightly ruffled you and a spooked Lambo. The two of you had just narrowly dodged the attack, however, you were both still put off by the extremely close encounter. You could still vaguely see your life flashing before you after that whole scenario – something you hope you'd never have to endure again. Lambo merely burst into a new wave of tears, his wails echoing throughout the area you guys were currently occupying.

"T-TSUYA!"

"P-PRINCESS!"

You didn't even have time to gather your composure before you were suddenly tackled into a hug by your beloved twin brother with a frantic Gokudera hovering over the two of your with pure relief reflecting in his glazed olive eyes. Tsuna's body trembled uncontrollably, his arms weaving around your small frame to practically meld you to his own lithe frame. Soft, incoherent words jumbled out of the boy's lips in a rush, obviously expressing Tsuna's dazed state. An overwhelming emotion of pure fear and relief flooded your system and had overridden any other feeling that was your own. For now, all you could feel was Tsuna's tormented emotions from the thought of you being hurt, or possibly having lost you. Your brown eyes softened when you realized how scared Tsuna had been for your safety. Allowing your head to fall on your brother's shoulder, you closed your eyes and returned his embrace.

Gokudera silently observed yours and Tsuna's reactions, his heart weighing heavily upon realization that he not only placed you in harm's way…but he had also created unnecessary apprehensiveness for the 10th. Crescent shaped wounds embedded themselves into Gokudera's skin. What kind of subordinate was he? He should know better than to act so impulsively when you and the 10th were present. While eliminating the threat was his main priority, he should have also remembered that both yours and the 10th's safety were equally as important. Of course you would have used your own body as a shield to protect a child! That's how you were. The safety of others was always your main priority. Gokudera released a small hiss, snapping his eyes shut and turning his head away so that you wouldn't see the shame he was harboring.

_/Flashback/_

_"I promise that I'll try harder to be a boss worthy of the Hurricane Bomb Hayato!"_

_/End Flashback/_

Falling to his hands and knees, Gokudera bowed his head low, a wave of nausea washing over him due to the twisted knots forming in his stomach. "10th, Princess…" Gokudera began in a broken tone, his voice wavering for a moment before finally regaining its original tone, "Please forgive me for my irresponsible actions!" You and Tsuna broke apart to direct your attention to your distressed subordinate. Gokudera shuddered inwardly upon feeling yours and Tsuna's gazes on his unworthy form. Releasing a small breath, Gokudera refused to lift his head. He felt as though he didn't deserve either one of yours or Tsuna's compassion.

The Mafioso's mind flashed back to the vow you had made him the day before when he had sustained an injury while protecting you. The words still echoed repeatedly in his mind like a broken record (one Gokudera refused to fix), giving him the courage he needed to reflect upon his brash actions in order to prevent any more trouble for you and your brother. If you were willing to become a better person in order to be HIS boss…then dammit all! Gokudera would also work his ass off to become a better subordinate for your family. Even though it will take an extraordinarily LONG time for him to slowly ease out of his compulsive reactions, Gokudera vowed to get his act together to become a subordinate worthy of you.

"Gokudera-kun…" you softly called to the young man, easily gaining his attention as he lifted his head to gaze at your beautiful face.

"Ack!" Gokudera couldn't help but yelp in surprise when you suddenly grabbed a hold of his shirt and yanked him forward and into your arms. Feeling his face instantly heat up due to the close proximity between you two, Gokudera nearly blacked out from his heart racing uncontrollably, almost to the point of bursting into smithereens. You tightened your grip on Gokudera, a bright smile lighting your face as you gushed to your twin about how 'loyal' and 'dedicated' your subordinate was. Tsuna couldn't help but chuckle at the rather hilarious scene, his brown eyes drifting over to Gokudera's practically limp form, then to your own oblivious form that was completely unaware of Gokudera's wooed stated.

Finally fed up with everyone having gained your attention but him, Lambo continued to sob, his hands diving into his afro to pull out a large purple bazooka. Slamming it down in a vertical position, Lambo jumped into the opening of the weapon, disappearing completely inside. He then tugged on the string he had attached to the trigger, activating the weapon and shooting himself with the bazooka, earning some rather horrified looks from you and Tsuna in return (Gokudera was still lost in a complete daze). Pink smoke filled the area your group was currently occupying, cutting off your vision for any sign of the suicidal Bovino child.

"Lambo!" you cried frantically, scrambling to your feet and worriedly scanning the area for any signs of the child.

Footsteps could be heard, lazily making their way towards you. It was then a black silhouette was made visible through the clouds of pink smoke. Tsuna and Gokudera were instantly on their feet, stepping in front of you with narrowed eyes upon realization that the silhouette was in the form of a young man. Once the smoke had fully faded from the area, you were all surprised to find a handsome young man with raven hair, clad in a black dress shirt with a cow print collar while also adorning gray pants and brown sandals. His shirt was split open in the front, showing the young man's well toned chest. Who was this guy? And where the heck was Lambo!

"Ah geez," the young man sighed, lazily glancing around and observing his surroundings. His right eye was closed, while his left onyx eye remained opened and had finally managed to land itself on your small form. There was silence for a moment before the young man's eye widened in recognition. Neither Tsuna nor Gokudera were able to grasp what exactly happened that next second, because the moment they blinked, the young man had disappeared only to be found hovering in front of your small form. You blinked owlishly, releasing a small nervous laugh when the young man clasped both of your hands in his own, a look of complete adoration etched on his features. "Tsu-chan~! I almost forgot how adorable you were ~ "

Tsuna and Gokudera could feel their blood boil at the sight of this stranger fawning over you. Narrowing their eyes into murderous stares (well, Tsuna's was more like an angered puppy), the two boys instantly took action. Gokudera grabbed the young man by the collar of his shirt, harshly yanking him back while Tsuna rushed to stand in front of you, his lithe form taking on a firm stance. Your two boys made it quite clear that they didn't appreciate the young man's sudden appearance by radiating their intense auras to reflect their extremely peeved emotions.

"Who are you?" Tsuna demanded in a guarded tone, remaining stationed in a protective stance in front of your confused self.

Gokudera's steely gaze flashed with anger. Giving the young man a harsh shove backwards, Gokudera took his place by Tsuna, adding to the protective guild that both he and your twin were building in order to block you from this strange newcomer's view. An odd insistent tug continued to try and grasp Gokudera's mind, causing the silver-haired male to grunt in protest. However, despite his persistence, a small spark of recognition flashed through his mind. A small growl left Gokudera's lips, his eyes narrowing suspiciously on the young man's form. "I've seen him somewhere…"

Completely ignoring Tsuna and Gokudera, the young man shot a charming smile your way. "Thank you for taking care of my 10 year younger self, Tsu-chan," taking notice of your adorably confused look, the young man chuckled fondly before shedding a little light on the jumbled situation, "This is that Lambo, who was once a crybaby."

"W-what?" Tsuna sputtered in disbelief, his eyes widening in shock.

"L-Lambo?" you questioned uncertainly, warily eyeing the handsome young man while trying to imagine the adorable, obnoxious, crybaby Lambo having been able to mature into such a fine young adult like the one standing before your group. Was it even possible? And where exactly was Lambo, anyway? …Could this dude really be that childish Bovino kid that you had been caring after?

"I see, the 10 Year Bazooka," Reborn acknowledged nonchalantly, his onyx eyes scanning the newcomer in a rather bored fashion, acting as though this was no shock to him at all.

Turning your attention to Reborn, you furrowed your brows in concentration. "What's the 10 Year Bazooka?"

"It's a well-used weapon in the Bovino family," Reborn responded, casting you a fleeting glance.

"A person hit with the 10 Year Bazooka will be replaced with themselves 10 years in the future," Lambo provided you with solid information, shooting you yet another charming smile when your attention landed on him. Raising his right hand, Lambo sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, averting his gaze off to the side, "but it only lasts for 5 minutes."

Tsuna was still in denial. "No way, this cool guy is Lambo?"

"Yo, it seems you didn't recognize me, Reborn," Lambo mused, making his over to the hitman who was still unimpressed with this whole scenario. "It's me Lambo, whom you've always been ignoring."

Everyone's jaws dropped, all attention was now directly on Reborn after the hitman had refused to respond in any way to Lambo's greeting. Instead, the hitman had turned his chair slightly to the side so that he was no longer facing Lambo. Reborn's focus was currently locked on the green chameleon sitting comfortably in his lap, expressing pure content due to Reborn stroking its back. You and Tsuna exchanged knowing glances. This wouldn't be the first time that Reborn had completely ignored the Bovino Mafioso…but, honestly! Shouldn't he be at least a little impressed with Lambo's future self?

Lambo's face was shadowed, hiding his eyes from view. It was easy to tell that this young man was beyond peeved with the hitman toddler (as if the forced smile on Lambo's face wasn't proof enough). "Well, it seems that this is going to come down to a power battle. I'll show you how much I've changed in 10 years." Lambo muttered darkly, pulling out a set of horns from his pants pocket.

"Thunder Set!" Lambo shouted, raising the horns high above his head. You and Tsuna squeaked in alarm when a bolt of lightning suddenly shot down from the sky and hit Lambo's set of horns. Placing the cow's horns on the sides of his head, Lambo narrowed his eyes, completely unfazed (unlike you and Tsuna who were completely freaking out) when a storm of lighting suddenly surrounded your school, gathering around the sky above the Bovino member. Tsuna jerked you back, pulling you behind him and Gokudera when the bolts of lightning hit Lambo and were absorbed by the young man like some kind of lightning rod. Your eyes widened in awe, watching electricity spark from Lambo's form in a fascinating manner. The energy was then transferred directly to his horns, sparking dangerously as Lambo lowered his body slightly in a crouching position, readying himself for battle.

"My horns have a million volts," Lambo stated in a blank tone, his eyes completely shadowed from view.

"No way!" Tsuna gawked, standing protectively in front of you along with Gokudera.

The moment Lambo went in for the kill, you felt your jaw drop at the impressive sight. The Bovino Mafioso charged into battle like an unstoppable bull, his head lowered to allow his horns access for a devastating blow to the offender (aka, Reborn). The electricity stored in Lambo's horns sparked wildly, flashing brightly while charging its power up for the brutal attack. "Die Reborn! Elettrico Cornuta!"

Reborn didn't even bat an eyelash (as usual), he simply remained aloof. Leon's body became enveloped in a blinding white light as it began to transform – into a small cane. You and Tsuna watched on with sweatdrops, completely appalled when Reborn smashed his cane against Lambo's head right when the young man was just mere inches away from impaling the hitman's body. Silence consumed your group, everyone's eyes on Lambo who was completely still, not showing any signs of pain or frustration whatsoever to the rather unsuspecting defense Reborn had performed.

"Gotta…stay…calm." Lambo forced the words out in a strained tone; gritting his teeth and keeping his eyes shadowed from everyone's view.

"Lambo…" you called the young male's name, concern evident in your eyes for the distressed Bovino member whose body was now beginning to quiver uncontrollably. You didn't even get another second to gather your thoughts before Lambo suddenly whirled around and launched his self into your arms, sobbing pathetically while burying his face in your chest and tightly grasping the material of your shirt in his hands. His wails echoed throughout the small area you were currently occupying, earning some rather odd stares from some passer-byes who walked by your school, receiving some rather heated glares from Gokudera in return when he caught sight of them shooting you strange looks. Needless to say, those people scurried on by without a second glance back.

"Tsu-chaaaan~" Lambo wailed loudly, incoherent words leaving his lips in a frenzy when he buried his face in your chest yet again.

Tsuna's right eye twitched in annoyance, his blood slowly boiling in silent rage at the sight of Lambo touching you so intimately. *He hasn't changed at all in 10 years…* Tsuna thought grudgingly to himself, his eyes taking a glazed hint of jealousy which appeared to go undetected by anyone during the rather chaotic scene at the moment (then again, he didn't really consider Reborn – he was far too preoccupied with the young male currently latched to your body). Much to Tsuna's relief, Gokudera wasn't at all amused with Lambo's attachment to you, so banding together, both Tsuna and Gokudera began to try and pry the crybaby off of your small form.

Reborn watched the scene with a small smirk on his lips. Tsuna's obvious jealousy had not gone unnoticed by this particular professional. How interesting… this would definitely need some more investigating. If Tsuna was truly as possessive as Reborn thought he was…well then…this was something worth testing later on in the future. Oh ho! Being devious was sooo much fun~

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

The bell for lunch sounded, chiming loudly throughout your school's building. While most students rushed off to crowd the cafeteria, you, Tsuna, Gokudera, and Yamamoto took to the rooftop. None of you felt like having to deal with your peers at the moment. It had originally been just you, your brother, and good ol' Gokudera, but Yamamoto had insisted that he join you guys so he could be filled in with the "Mafia" game (how on earth could he still believe this was all a game!). Gokudera wasn't pleased with Yamamoto's decision to join you guys, and he made that quite clear by shooting the baseball captain dirty looks whenever he had the chance.

Another member who had managed to tag along (much to Tsuna's charging) was none other than Lambo. The child had stowed away in your bag after the bazooka effects had worn off. He had refused to leave your side, even for the slightest moment. After trying your best to persuade the toddler to head home, you conceded defeat after epically failed attempts for the past ten minutes to coax Lambo into heading home. Lucky for you, you had had just enough candy in your bag to keep Lambo preoccupied during your lessons for the first half of school before the bell for lunch rang, signaling that you had successfully made it through the first period without having Hibari on your case. Lambo was now currently sitting comfortably in your lap, munching away merrily on some rice balls that you had made earlier for lunch.

Tsuna and Gokudera were seated on either side of you, each boy eyeing their rival with a look of disdain. For Tsuna, he warily eyed the toddler perched oh-so comfortably in your lap, his eyes narrowed after locking gazes with Lambo, only to have the child conceitedly mock him by coyly flipping him off. Why that little… Tsuna bit his tongue to keep from lashing out at the "untouchable" child. Ugh. Why oh WHY did you have to have a soft spot for that obnoxious kid? Why? Meanwhile, Gokudera was currently glaring daggers at the oblivious baseball captain who was merrily humming to himself while pulling out his lunchbox. If there was one thing Gokudera felt like blowing up – it was the baseball freak. Damn him! Your silver-haired subordinate cast you a fleeting glance, his cheeks heating up slightly before he returned to his 'stare-of-doom' at Yamamoto. You were oblivious to Tsuna's and Gokudera's actions of scooting closer to you during this whole ordeal.

"Geez, this morning was a disaster," Tsuna complained to you, carefully unwrapping the lunch you had prepared for him, "We got to class and got scolded…all thanks to you," Tsuna grumbled, shooting Lambo a glare. The child purposefully ignored Tsuna, turning his bright, wide sea foam eyes to you and giving you an adorable smile. Needless to say, you were instantly reeled in by Lambo's appeal, giving the child a fond pat on the head while handing him a handful of fresh grapes. Locking gazes with your brother, Lambo grinned, his features easily expressing his silent words of 'I've-got-her-wrapped-around-my-finger-and-there's-nothing-you-can-do-about-it'. Tsuna's reply was a pair of chopsticks being chucked at the young boy's head.

"Ack! Tsu-chan! No-good Tsuna hit me!" Lambo wailed, pointing accusingly at your twin.

"No I didn't." Tsuna replied innocently, giving you a bright smile when you glanced his way.

You took your brother's word without question, giving Lambo a comforting pat on the head. "Ne, don't overreact, Lambo. Why don't you just finish your lunch? You can have a lollipop once you're done," you informed the small child with a smile, completely unaware of the irritated look Lambo shot your brother's way, only to be met with a victorious grin from Tsuna in reply. Sparks flew between the boys, each one determined to win over your attention and outshine the other. You blinked owlishly, your gaze landing on Tsuna who was currently preoccupied with a stare-down against Lambo. You could feel Tsuna's jealousy emerge once again, roiling around in your stomach with a vengeance. A small puff of air left your lips. You were definitely going to have to fix this later…

"What are you doing here, baseball freak?" Gokudera asked bitterly, drawing your attention to his conversation with Yamamoto.

"There's nothing wrong with this," Yamamoto replied cheerfully with a smile, "eating lunch under a clear blue sky is the best."

"Yeah, that's true," Tsuna agreed with a nod of his head, finally breaking off his glare contest with Lambo to return to his lunchbox that you had prepared for him. Just as Tsuna was about to open the lid, he paused, lifting the small box up to his eye level. You watched your brother inspect the box with a wary look, causing you to wonder what was wrong with it.

"Nii-san, is something wrong?" you asked with concern.

Tsuna blinked in surprise, turning his attention to you while lowering the lunchbox back into his lap. "Hm? Oh…well, there's something strange with this lunchbox, Tsuya," your brother replied, warily eyeing the 'problem'.

Your furrowed your brows in thought. "Huh? How so, Nii-san?"

Tsuna lifted the lunchbox up so that it was at your eye level. "This isn't the lunch you prepared for me, Tsuya," your brother declared, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the defected lunchbox.

"Eh? How can you tell, Tsuna?" Yamamoto questioned curiously.

"Tsuya always writes a small message on my lunchbox. It's kinda become a tradition, really," Tsuna noted with a smile, recalling your adorable actions to try and brighten his day up (which you managed to do pretty much EVERY day). "For the past five years, Tsuya's been leaving me messages on my lunchbox every morning when she makes my lunch for me, but…this one doesn't have a message," Tsuna informed your group, dropping the phony lunch onto the ground. During that process, the lid to the small box fell off, revealing a horrid mix of inedible foods with a distinctly familiar purple vapor emitting from the rotten pile of…goo. Three ravens that had been flying overhead fell to the floor in the center of your group – dead.

"T-this is…" Gokudera sputtered in disbelief, his eyes widening at the sight of the horrid and deadly 'food'.

"It's better if you don't eat that," Reborn advised, mysteriously appearing on the top of the roof's entrance, causally peering down at your surprised group, "you'll go straight to heaven with one bite."

"Kya~ that's **disgusting!**" Lambo cried, covering his nose with both hands to try and prevent the horrible stench from entering his system.

"Reborn! What's going on?" you demanded, anxiety filling your system at the thought of someone out there trying to poison your beloved twin. There was NO way you were going to tolerate this! Not if you had any say in the matter. It was rather obvious that Reborn had a hunch as to what was going on, and lucky for you, your instincts were dead on (CHA!).

"Come out," Reborn called to the other side of the roof where the second entrance was located, "I know you're there, Bianchi."

The door opened to reveal the pretty woman that you, Tsuna, and Shouichi and come in contact with earlier. She was currently leaning against the door frame, a beautiful smile visible on her features as she observed your group with a calculating gaze. You and Tsuna nearly doubled over at the sight of the culprit who has been dead set on poisoning your brother. Who would've thought a woman as pretty as HER was able of being so…so…heinous!

"Ah, the girl from this morning!" Tsuna blanched, nervously moving closer to your small form to try and hide from the woman's piercing gaze.

"Big Sis…" Gokudera gasped, causing your jaw to drop at this new bit of information.

You shot your loyal subordinate an incredulous look. "Whoa! Back up! You have a sister?"

Gokudera wanted nothing more than to respond to your question, however, that desire was put on hold when he suddenly doubled over in pain. Not even a second had passed before you were instantly by Gokudera's side, worriedly fussing over the welfare of your friend. "H-hey! Are you all right?" you frantically asked your dear friend, grasping a hold of Gokudera's right hand with your left one. The silver-haired male could only grunt painfully in reply, holding your hand as if it was his lifeline. You have seen a LOT of strange things…but having to see Gokudera nearly keel over was something you would have never thought to witness, and yet, having to see such a thing now…

"P-Princess…" Gokudera groaned weakly, his eyes shut tight in agony (a look you hoped you'd NEVER have to see on Gokudera's face ever again).

The woman gracefully made her way over to your group, coming to a stop just in front of you and Gokudera. Lifting your worried gaze from your subordinate, you glanced at the woman for a moment, simply analyzing her before deciding she was nothing but trouble for you. Hell, the woman had tried to poison your brother (twice!), and now, she's rendered poor Gokudera immobile. Hmph! Gokudera's sister or not…this woman has just placed herself in your little black book of 'doom'.

"It's been a while, Hayato," Bianchi's silky voice greeted her brother. Gokudera ignored his sibling's greeting. The only action he provided was a tighter grip on your hand, his breath leaving his system in small heavy pants, earning his self a very concerned look from you in return. Upon receiving no response from her brother, Bianchi directed her gaze up at the tuxedo clad infant, a look of complete shock consuming her features.

"Ciaossu, Bianchi," Reborn greeted nonchalantly.

"Reborn!" Bianchi squealed, a blush staining her face as her eyes began to glaze over with nothing but complete adoration for the small hitman. Bashfully averting her gaze to the ground, Bianchi began to nervously fiddle with a few locks of her magenta colored hair. "I've come to take you back Reborn. Let's do some large scale jobs again," she pleaded, shyly stealing a glance at her infatuation, "The place where you belong is in the dangerous and thrilling underworld."

Reborn decided to patiently explain things to the lovesick woman. "I told you before Bianchi, I have the job of raising Tsuna and Tsuya."

Bianchi released a small sob, "Poor Reborn!" Turning her attention to your sibling, Bianchi pointed accusingly at Tsuna, "That means that if the 10th doesn't die in some horrible accident, Reborn will never be free!"

"What?" Tsuna shrieked, completely horrified by Bianchi's statement.

Anger completely overrode your system, swiftly moving to stand up, you moved to take a step forward to confront the deranged, lovesick woman, only to find yourself being held back. Blinking owlishly for moment, you peered down to see that Gokudera was still holding your hand in an iron grip, refusing to let go. Although he would have liked to assist you, and perhaps even have released you from his hold…the pain he was feeling right now was far too great for poor Gokudera to think clearly. All he knew at this moment, was that holding your hand was a huge reliever for him, almost as though you were able to suppress a little bit of his agony (if only a smidge). Because of that, Gokudera refused to let go of your hand. So, remaining stationed by Gokudera's side, you turned your attention back to Bianchi, your eyes returning to their previous glaze of unbridled anger.

"Just who the HELL do you think you are, lady? It's bad enough you tried to kill my brother this morning…but to try again and then have the NERVE to openly pose your threat like that just now…ugh! Are you trying to physically piss me off? Cause you're doing a damn well job! I swear, if you EVER threaten my brother again with your obnoxious attempts to poison him with your sewer sludge you call 'cooking' – I will personally hunt you down and stuff that crap down your throat till you keel over and DIE!" you seethed, your small frame shaking from the pent up rage having built in your system caused by the woman standing across from you.

You couldn't help but mentally cheer in victory when you witnessed Bianchi's stupefied look to your outburst. Her pale olive gaze remained locked on your form, "Reborn…who is this girl?"

Reborn didn't even bother to try and hide the smirk on his face after your little 'conniption' fit. "That is Tsuya Sawada, twin sister of Tsunayoshi Sawda, and second heir to the Vongola family."

Bianchi's eyes widened. "A Mafioso woman?"

"Damn straight!" you responded with an irk mark, still sore over this woman's threat towards your brother.

"Then…that means…" Bianchi stammered, another blush staining her face.

You paused, your anger slowly diminishing to be replaced with wary. Why was that woman staring at you like that? And what the heck was up with that dazed look in her eyes? You honestly had to wonder how Gokudera was related to this whack job. Poor boy. If you were related to this woman, you probably wouldn't speak of her either… she was just too…weird? Yeah, let's go with that one.

"How wonderful~!" Bianchi cooed, sweeping you up into her arms for an embrace.

"Ack! Lemme go! Lemme go!" you yelped helplessly, fidgeting uncomfortably in the woman's hold. Bianchi had penetrated your 'personal bubble', brining you to a degree you weren't normally accustomed to by being at such a close proximity with someone other than your own twin. It was awkward for you, and having that person being some crazed, lovesick, whack job didn't help the situation at all.

"I must mold you into the perfect bride for a Mafioso!" Bianchi insisted with enthusiasm, tightening her hold over you as a blush dusted over her features at the mere thought of her future plans concerning you and her new 'role'. "Once I'm through with you, you will be the eye candy for ALL of the major Mafia families who will want to wed you and join their families together in alliance with the Vongola~!"

Tsuna nearly fainted after hearing Bianchi's outrageous plans. "Are you NUTS? Tsuya's way too young to consider marriage. And there's absolutely NO WAY I'm going to let my sister marry some freak in the Mafia! Heck, she isn't even allowed to date yet!" your brother spazzed, flailing his arms around in a hysterical manner. You agreed full heartedly with your sibling, anxiously pulling yourself out of Bianchi's grasp to scurry over to Tsuna's side.

Reborn appeared to be amused by the proposition that Gokudera's sibling had presented. "Bianchi's right, Tsuna. In the future, Tsuya will be wedded to a Mafioso to form an alliance with the other families to help expand the Vongola family. It is her destiny."

"Hey~!" you began heatedly with an irk mark, extremely put off with the whole idea of having to be wed off to some delinquent Mafioso to merely form some type of alliance between their family and the Vongola.

Tsuna immediately came to your defense. "Tsuya doesn't have to marry ANYONE! I'm **NOT** going to use my sister like some kind of trophy to hand off to some jacked up family for an alliance with our own! Tsuya is entitled to her own life, one where I would like you guys to keep your slimy, Mafia related hands out of! It's bad enough that Tsuya and I have to deal with all of these weirdoes that keep popping up…I will **NOT** tolerate you guys interfering with Tsuya's life, much less giving her away without my consent! Tsuya is MY sister, and I plan on having it remain as just the TWO of us – no one else! "

"N-Nii-san…" you stammered, completely bewildered by your brother's uncharacteristic outburst.

Reborn arched a brow, simply bemused by Tsuna's quick defense concerning your 'future'. Did the boy honestly think he would be able to control your fate? How interesting. "Are you saying that you are personally responsible for Tsuya's love affairs?" the hitman questioned, amusement laced within his taunting tone.

Tsuna narrowed his eyes at Reborn's inquisition. "While I can't control who Tsuya falls in love with…I **CAN** control the decision of whether they're worthy enough for my sister!" Tsuna retorted with an irk mark, highly agitated with where this conversation was going; "Tsuya still has her whole future ahead of herself. She shouldn't have to deal with bizarre engagements. In fact, she shouldn't have to deal with the Mafia – **period!**

Reborn chuckled softly at the sight of your overprotective brother. "Neither yours or Tsuya's fates can be avoided, No-good Tsuna. You must be able to take it like a man (and woman) and fulfill your destines as the rightful heirs to the Vongola."

Tsuna huffed bitterly, narrowing his eyes to show his anger at the hitman infant. "Quit it with all this nonsense already!"

Lambo hopped up onto your shoulder, pulling down the bottom of his right eye lid while childishly sticking his tongue out at Reborn. "No-good Tsuna's right! Tsu-chan is Lambo-san's! Reborn can't have her!"

Reborn scoffed. "Like Tsuya would ever be interested in the likes of you. You're nothing but a crybaby. The Vongola has no use of someone like you."

"DIE REBORN!" Lambo shrieked, trying to launch himself at his rival only to have you hold him back.

"T-take it easy, Lambo!" you yelped, keeping a gentle but firm hold on the small Bovino child.

Deciding to take her leave (mainly because she didn't want to deal with this pointless argument), Bianchi gracefully flipped some of her magenta hair over her shoulder, turning her back on your group to head on over to the second entrance of the rooftop where she had originally appeared from. Casting one last brief glance over her shoulder at your brother, then at Reborn, Bianchi puffed her cheeks a bit to perform a small pout. "I'll wait for it. I'll kill the ten– I mean, if the 10th dies I'll come to bring you back."

You watched the beautiful woman make an exit, a sweadrop formed on the back of your head after hearing Bianchi's obvious threat to eliminate your brother in order to have Reborn return to her side. Oi…what a crazy woman she was. You'd definitely have to keep an eye out for her and her disastrous cooking. The last thing you need is your brother coming in contact with some of that deranged woman's deadly concoctions.

_*Am I… being targeted?_* Tsuna thought exasperatedly to himself, still a bit sore after having to bicker with Reborn over your 'destiny'.

"Gokudera's sister sure is pretty," Yamamoto acknowledged with a cheerful smile, completely unaffected by the whole ordeal that had just transpired moments ago. The baseball captain turned his grin towards Bianchi's younger sibling, only to have his smile be wiped clean from his face when he noticed Gokudera keeled over in pain.

"Gokudera-kun!" you yelped, immediately appearing by your friend's side and frantically fussing over him. The young male groaned in agony, clasping his hand around your own small one when you had offered it to him to try and help calm him down somehow. Tsuna and Yamamoto were by your side within the next few seconds, ready to help you guide Gokudera to your school's nurses' office.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

After much chaos had ensued during the trek down to the nurses' office, your group had finally managed to carefully lay Gokudera down in the hospital bed. The silver-haired teen still appeared to be in some kind of pain, and wouldn't you know it? No nurse. Where the heck was that lady, anyway? Was the school just paying her to slack off of or something? Sheesh.

"Hm, it looks the nurse isn't here," Yamamoto acknowledged with a small frown on his face, "I'll go look for one."

"Yes, please!" you agreed with a nod of your head. You and Tsuna remained stationed by Gokudera's side while Yamamoto ran out of the nurses' office in search for some medical assistance. Reborn was seated upon the post of the patient's bed, watching your loyal subordinate with that steely gaze of his. Meanwhile, Lambo remained glued to your hip, clutching your small form as tightly as possibly so that he wouldn't have to let go (earning himself yet another jealous glare from your brother in response).

"Reborn, what's this all about Gokudera-kun's sister, and what's with the food?" you asked the small 'home tutor' in a firm tone, plucking the Bovino child from your hip to place the young boy at the foot of Gokudera's bed so that you could tend to your friend.

"She's called 'Poison Scorpion Bianchi', she's a free hitman," Reborn responded causally, watching you place a cold washcloth over Gokudera's forehead, earning a small groan of appreciation from your subordinate in reply, "Her special skill is Poison Cooking, where she creates food filled with poison."

Tsuna grasped his head with both hands, a look of pure distraught appearing on his features. "Another weirdo has showed up!"

"She is also my lover," Reborn added, causing you and Tsuna to perform face-plants.

"Do you even know what you're saying?" you and Tsuna shrieked simultaneously, earning an amused chuckle from your family's tutor.

"Please forgive me, 10th…Princess…"

At the sound of Gokudera's hoarse whisper, everyone's attention was directed at the silver-haired Mafioso to find his weary, pale olive gaze focused on you and your sibling. Gokudera's complexion was paler than usual, and he seemed to have dark bags under his eyes, adding tremendously to his sickly appearance. You and Tsuna were by his side in an instant, fussing over the well being of your friend. Lambo huffed irritably, puffing his cheeks out quite a bit while crossing his arms over his chest and shooting Gokudera a scathing look, extremely peeved that the male had captured your attention.

"Are you all right, Gokudera-kun?" you asked; concern flickering through your brown orbs and electing a faint blush from the young man in response.

Turning his head away from your caring gaze, Gokudera closed his eyes so that he wouldn't have to see either yours or Tsuna's concerned looks. "I've showed you something so shameful. When I see my sister's face…"

Tsuna's brows furrowed in confusion when Gokudera trailed off, leaving his sentence incomplete. "What is it?"

Releasing a small strained sigh, Gokudera allowed his eyes to open, turning his gaze towards you and Tsuna. "It was when I turned six…we held many lavish parties in our castle…" your subordinate explained in a tired tone, his eyes reflecting his weariness to the whole ordeal that had happened during your lunch break.

Both you and Tsuna blanched after hearing Gokudera's last sentence. "Castle? Gokudera-kun is really super-rich?"

Gokudera appeared to be unfazed by yours and Tsuna's outburst. "I was supposed to have a piano recital in front of everyone…and that was when my sister first baked cookies for me," you watched Gokudera wince at the mere memory of his sister's cooking, his entire features paling even more due to the flashback, earning some rather worried glances from you and Tsuna, "I later realized that my sister had the ability to make anything she cooked into Poison Cooking," Gokudera informed your group.

"What the heck?" Tsuna cried, mortified by the thought of a sibling actually poisoning her own brother. You would **never** do such a thing! Anything you did for Tsuna was always pure and full of innocence, something he was now eternally grateful for (not that he never was before). Casting a brief glance your way, Tsuna silently thanked the heavens that he had been blessed with you.

"Of course, the performance was a total wreck. But the thing is…my father was very pleased and increased the number of my recitals…at every piano recital from then on I had to eat my sister's cookies," Gokudera grumbled, his right eye twitching at the projection his mind conjured of the distant memory of his sister's horrid 'treats', "That fear somehow branded itself into me and now, whenever I see my sister I get a stomachache."

"The horror!" Tsuna cried, holding his head with both hands after hearing Gokudera's woeful tale.

"What kind of sick, twisted sibling relationship is this?" you asked in disbelief. It was so hard to actually have to come to terms with the fact that there were siblings out in the world that just didn't get along with each other. It saddened you. Why couldn't siblings get along like you and Tsuna? Your gaze drifted over to your brother, eyes shimmering slightly at the sight of your beloved twin. Tsuna was your everything. You'd do anything you could to please him. After all, he was the source of your existence (well, to YOU, anyway).

Tsuna paused during his meltdown, blinking owlishly for a moment before turning his attention to you. He couldn't help the light blush that dusted across his face when he caught sight of you smiling brightly in his direction. Shyly averting his gaze, Tsuna began to rub the back of his head sheepishly, mumbling a few incoherent words to his self. Reborn coyly observed the situation, his onyx eyes flashing back and forth between you and your brother. It was amusing to watch the ongoing interactions amongst the two of you, and every time Reborn managed to catch a quick glimpse of the passive glances Tsuna sent your way, the hitman would smirk at his student's obvious acts of affection for you. Did that boy honestly think no one was watching? How naïve...

"Tsuya," Reborn called, easily capturing your attention, "it's almost time for your Home Economics class. You should head on over now so that you're not late."

"Ah, that's right," you sighed, "I almost forgot about that class…"

Lambo rushed over to your side, immediately latching onto your arm to prevent you from moving. "Tsu-chan! Take Lambo-san with you! Don't leave Lambo-san behind with No-good Tsuna and Octopus head!"

"What?" both Tsuna and Gokudera sputtered at the lame nicknames that the Bovino child had bestowed them with (although Tsuna's wasn't all that original to begin with).

You sweatdropped, releasing a small nervous laugh while watching the heated glares being directed at the cow clad child by your brother and subordinate. Scooping the infant into your arms, you bent over and reached for your book bag on the floor, lifting the large flap up and sliding the child into your bag. Slinging the strap over your shoulder, you released a small puff of air when Lambo suddenly popped his head out of the bag and childishly stuck his tongue out at Tsuna and Gokudera, earning some more heated glares in the process. "Uh, yeah…I think it's probably best if I take Lambo with me…"

Tsuna grit his teeth, eyeing the victorious look on Lambo's face with a weak glare. Despite his reluctance to the idea of having Lambo tag along with you…it was probably for the best. There was **no way** he would be able to attend to that obnoxious child. In fact, he'd probably just ditch the kid somewhere and hope that Lambo wouldn't be able to find his way back to your side. The downside…well, you'd worry yourself sick over Lambo's welfare, and that was something Tsuna would NEVER want. If having that thing child around pleased you, Tsuna decided he'd just have to put up with that brat child (much to his displeasure). But hey, it was for you, right? He'd do anything to make you happy, and if that meant having to deal with Lambo, then so be it.

Gokudera couldn't help but chuckle in amusement at the blush staining Tsuna's face when you leaned over and placed a loving kiss on his cheek. Far too busy watching Tsuna babble insistently while placing a hand over his reddening cheek, Gokudera didn't notice you appear by his side until he suddenly felt warm lips make contact with his forehead. Now, it was Reborn's turn to release a small chuckle of delight at the heated face of the two flustered boys.

"Bye, Nii-san! Bye, Gokudera-kun! See ya two later~!" you called, dashing out of the room to rush over to your Home Economics class with a wailing infant in your grasp.

"Tsu-chaaaan! Lambo-san wants a kiss, too!"

Rolling his eyes at the Bovino child's insistent whining which was beginning to slowly fade away, Reborn pulled his little black book out from his pocket, flipping it open and began to scribble down notes based off of the event that had just transpired. Reborn's calculating gaze took in both Tsuna's and Gokudera's heated expressions, a small smirk appearing on his lips. "And here I thought **I** had to be the one to rattle things up. Hmph. Tsuya is already progressing quite nicely in exerting her 'authority'. This requires more research."

Snapping his small booklet shut, Reborn chucked his pen at Tsuna's head, snapping the young man out of his daze. "Quit fantasying, Tsuna. You have classes you need to be attending right now."

Tsuna rubbed his head, shooting the hitman a weak glare. "Crazy baby…"

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

Preheating the oven to 350 degrees, you released a small hum, turning back to your counter where all of your ingredients were neatly laid out. A small pot filled with milk, eggs, sugar, flour and cornstarch was currently being heated on the miniature stove, creating a delightful aroma which then caused the cabinet door below the countertop to creak open as adorable sea foam eyes glistened brightly up at your form. You paused in your current action of stirring the batter in the bowl you were holding to give Lambo a bright smile. The small child had been so good for the past twenty minutes, remaining hidden from your class' view by stowing away in your counter's cabinet. Deciding to reward Lambo for his good behavior, you bent down slightly to hand the boy the spoon you had been using to mix your cake batter. The priceless look Lambo gave you in reply managed to elicit a small laugh from you. Giving the boy a small pat on the head as he greedily accepted your offering, you smiled while watching Lambo retreat back into his hiding spot so that he could feast on his delicious treat.

Whipping your hands on your apron, your eyes scanned the many bowls laid out in front of you, each one containing a different cake batter. Smiling at your progress, you grabbed another spoon from the utensil holder and returned to your earlier task of mixing Tsuna's cake batter. You couldn't wait to see the look on your sibling's face when you present him with his sweet treat. Casting a brief glance over to the pot on the stove which was now currently simmering, you smiled in triumph, pleased that the ingredients for Tsuna's Boston Cream Pie was coming along splendidly.

Squeals erupted in the room, causing you to nearly drop you bowl of batter in surprise. Blinking owlishly for a moment, you released a small puff of air after realizing that the commotion was merely evolved around your teacher, Ms. Swanson. The woman was apparently pleased as punch after learning that Hana was making her favorite desert of all time – brownies. Then again…what doesn't your Home Economics teacher eat?

"Why are women so loud? Quite frankly…it's downright annoying."

A small scream left your lips after hearing that familiar, creepy tone emitting from behind your back. Slamming your bowl of batter down onto the countertop, you grabbed a metal spatula and whirled around to face the amused 'prince'. Unfortunately for you, the dude was far more agile than you were, resulting in the young man's successful block of your 'attack'. An irk mark appeared on your head, your eyes narrowing into a heated glare as you tried to tug your spatula back, only to earn yourself a demented smirk from the young man in response.

"Hel~lo, Princess," the psychoticweirdo blonde haired 'prince' greeted in a sing-song voice.

"Screw you!" you retorted bitterly, releasing the spatula from your hold to chuck the spoon you had been using to stir Tsuna's batter with at the young man's head – only to have the dude catch the spoon with his free hand and shoot you a victorious grin (damn him and his agile ways!).

"How the hell did you get in here, anyway?" you growled, crossing your arms over your chest and giving the 'prince' a scathing look.

"Through the window, of course~" the blonde boy replied cheekily, gesturing towards the opened window beside your workspace.

"…" your right eye twitched in annoyance, "get the hell outta here, ya freak."

"Is that any way for a princess to treat her prince?" the young man asked in a mock offended tone, flinging your batter covered spoon back at you. You yelped in surprise, fumbling around a bit to try and catch the cooking utensil. Unfazed by your ungraceful blunder, the young man made his way over to your unoccupied stool. Plopping down onto the small piece of furniture, the young man leaned his back against the wall and placed his feet on your counter.

"Hey~! Keep your filthy feet offa my workspace, ya jerk!" you snapped irritably with an irk mark, whacking the male's shoes with your spoon. You paused for a moment, realization finally dawning on you that you had just used your stirring spoon to smack some dude's filthy shoes. "Gosh darn it!" you seethed bitterly, stomping over to the classroom's sink to rinse your dirty utensil.

"Ushishishi!" the young man chose to ignore your order, allowing a devious grin to appear on his features.

While vigorously scrubbing your stirring spoon clean, a light bulb appeared over your head after you had been stuck with an ingenious plan. You had recalled your penpal spouting nonsense about this subject earlier, and thought it would be most appropriate to use that bit of information now. The young man arched a brow (not that you could see it, anyway), wondering why you had such a crafty look on your face. He had to admit though…it did look awfully humorous to see that expression on your features.

"Ms. Swanson!" you called your teacher's name loudly, easily gaining the crazy woman's attention. You pointed at the lounging 'prince' at your workspace, your eyes hardening at the sight of him, which in turn, elicited an 'ushishishi' from the guy. "There's a man in our midst!"

Your teacher released a dramatic sigh, leaving Hana and her delectable brownies to further investigate the situation. Watching the slightly stout woman make her way over to you, you held out your arm, pointing accusingly at the 'sloth' at your counter. At the sight of the blonde 'prince', Ms. Swanson's eyes widened in alarm. Who could blame her? This was an all girls class, and to find a demonic dude such as this was rather unsettling, ne? You crossed your arms over your chest and tapped your right foot impatiently, eagerly waiting to see what your teacher would do.

"Young man, you shouldn't be here," your teacher informed the 'prince' with a frown on her face. Her hands situated themselves on her hips, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

SCORE~!

"Ah~? Well too bad. I don't feel like leaving," the young man responded arrogantly, placing his hands behind his head.

"Young man, you are not supposed to—" Ms. Swanson began, only to be cut off by your 'friend'.

"I can do whatever I please, woman. After all…" the young man trailed off, his signature grin appearing on his lips, "I am a Prince~"

Rolling your eyes at the overused term of this man stating that he was a 'prince', you cast a brief glance over at your teacher, wondering when she was just gonna call Hibari on this dude and send him on his way. To your utter horror, you were met with the sight of your starry eyed instructor, staring admirably at the young man occupying your station. Slapping your forehead in disbelief, you allowed your hand to trail down your face. How on earth could this woman actually admire someone as demented as…THIS guy?

"Oh my! A prince? Here at our own little Namimori High School?" Ms. Swanson squealed in pure delight.

"Oh come on! Please don't tell me you actually believe that this whack job is a prince!" you cried out in an exasperated tone. Your right eye twitched in annoyance, watching your teacher gesture excitedly to the tiara adorning the young man's head, "That's probably some cheap plastic thing he picked up at a party store!" you retorted impatiently, crossing your arms over your chest and giving your teacher a disproving stare.

"Nonsense! This chap's the real deal~" Ms. Swanson exclaimed, sparkles surrounding her slightly stout form.

"You gotta be kidding me…" you groaned in disbelief, turning your back on the woman who now held 0% respect from you. Allowing your teacher to bound off excitedly back to your classmates, you shot the young male at your station a bitter look. He appeared unfazed by your vicious acts of resentment towards him, instead, he merely grinned at you and waved his right hand in a small gesture for you to direct your attention to your pot of pastry cream that had originally been simmering, but was now currently on the verge of being overcooked because someone had mysteriously turned up the heat (gee, wonder who the HELL did that?). Releasing a small yelp, you rushed over to change the stove's setting back to a simmer, grabbing your (now clean) stirring spoon to stir the contents to keep them from burning. The young man chuckled with mirth, his grin spreading to an almost imaginable degree.

"Ushishishi~"

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

An hour had passed since your 'prince's' arrival. The young man seemed intent on creating nothing but pure chaos for you during your Home Economics class. Bowls of batter would be roughly kicked off of the counter by the royal pain-in-the-ass. You were barely able to save the precious cooking ingredients by throwing aside whatever you were doing to perform a mad dive and catch the bowls right before they hit the ground. The strawberries you had laid out for Gokudera's cake were completely whole when you left them to turn your back to tend to Tsuna's pastry cream for his confection, (and wouldn't you know it?) when you turned back to wash the strawberries, you could only growl to express your utter resentment to find all of your strawberries sliced into tiny bits. Well, there go your main ingredients for the cake topping…

The prince watched you scramble around after immediately coming to a compromise of how to change the disaster he had created for you into a new idea. Ten minutes had passed, and much to the young man's amusement, you had managed to create a whole new dessert to accommodate your 'ruined' strawberries. Deviously dipping his finger into the bowl of homemade whipping cream that you had made just moments ago, the young man chuckled mirthlessly when you caught sight of his heinous act and whacked the back of his hand with your wooden spoon. Pulling his hand away from any further onslaughts from you, the 'prince' stuck his finger in his mouth released a delighted hum at the delicious taste of your whipped cream.

Lambo, who had witnessed the whole ordeal of the 'grinning gopher' stealing a delicious scoop of white cream, whined in protest. Shooting a glare in the prince's direction, a silent gesture of 'stay-the-hell-away-from-Gokudera's-treat', you dipped a small measuring spoon into your bowl of whipped cream, bending down slightly to hand it to the child stowed away in the cabinets below. Lambo's eyes widened gratefully, sparkles appearing over his small form as he accepted the treat and disappeared back into his hiding space.

You returned to your previous action of preparing Tsuna's dessert. The first layer of his cake had already been laid out on a plate, ready to have the cream applied. After you had delicately spooned the pastry cream you had prepared onto the first layer of cake in an even matter, you then placed the second cake layer atop of the filling. A small hum of delight left your lips due to your successful progress, earning a rather bemused 'ushishishi' from your _friend_ in response. Giving a small roll of your eyes, you grabbed the small bowl of chocolate glaze from the countertop, eager to add the finishing touch to your beloved twin's cake.

"That looks good~" the young man on your left cooed, leaning a bit _too_ close to you (despite your obvious signs of back-the-hell-away!) in order to get a good glance at the delicious food.

"Yeah, thanks," you ground out in a forced tone, your right eye twitching in annoyance from having this guy invade your personal bubble, "now do you mind backing off? You're really starting to get on my nerves – "

"Belphegor~" the young man interrupted in a pleasant tone, swiping some of the chocolate glaze from your twin's cake, which in turn, earned himself a whack upside the head.

"Quit doing that!" you seethed, swiftly fixing the horrendous streak that had been created by that **jerk.**

After twenty minutes of having to try and finish your desserts before class ended while also having to fend that mooch of a prince off from eating _everything_ -- you were finally done~! A small sigh of content left your lips as you gazed happily at the delectably finished treats that you had made for your brother and dear friends. A lot of love and devotion had been applied during the makings of these treats…and you were more than pleased with the results. Grinning to yourself in triumph, you allowed your gaze to linger over each one of the three delicious desserts you had created.

Tsuna's Boston Cream Pie looked positively mouth watering! You were so pleased that it had turned out so well. The two layers of butter cake were sandwiched together with scrumptious pastry cream, topped off with a divine amount of chocolate glaze poured completely over the top of the cake, dripping down the sides in a delicious manner. Tsuna was sure to flip the moment he caught sight of his favorite dessert. Ah, you couldn't wait to present it to him~!

Shouichi's cake was none other than a Chocolate Angel Food Cake. The dessert was a foam cake which relied on beaten egg whites for its volume. This cake did not contain egg yolks, fat, or even baking powder (crazy huh?). It does, however, contain more sugar than the two other cakes you had made, this was used to support and stabilize the large amount of egg whites you had added. Cake flour, a low gluten flour, was used to give the cake its delicate texture. Boy, Shouichi was gonna have a looong night ahead of him after one bite from this cake!

And last but not least – Gokudera's cake.

It had been quite a scramble for you…but you had been able to use your diced strawberries (courtesy of Belphegor) to create a wonderful Strawberry Short Cake – the classic combination of biscuit, fresh strawberries and cream, that never fails to delight. You had made sure to apply _extra_ powered sugar to top off Gokudera's tempting dessert, a small gesture you plotted to thank your subordinate for watching out for you and your beloved brother. Come on, what doesn't scream 'thank you' other than an extra heaping amount of sugar? Well, at least it applied to you and Kyoko, anyways. Hopefully Gokudera would be able to appreciate the tremendous amount of sugar (then again, he appreciates pretty much _any_thing you do for him).

"Ushishishi~" Belphegor's eerie laugh sounded, causing you to inwardly flinch at that bizarre chortle of his. Turning around to tell the bugger to quit with the creepy sound effects, you nearly screamed in distress to find that only _one_ slice of Shouichi's cake was left – how the hell did that happen? Whirling around to face Belphegor, your jaw dropped to find the prince already halfway out the window. Turning his head slightly to glance over his shoulder at your bewildered form, Belphegor allowed his chocolate covered lips to spread into a maniacal grin. "Thanks for the cake, Princess~!"

"Belphegor, you **jerk!**" you screeched, chucking your large and extremely sharp kitchen knife at the arrogant prince. The demonic boy merely 'ushishishi'd' in reply, gracefully jumping out of the window and out of harm's way as your knife wedged itself into an innocent tree instead. Rushing over to the window, your hands tightly gripped the window sill, your knuckles turning white from the harsh force. Tch. Wouldn't you know it?

That damn prince had just vanished into thin air.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

Angrily stomping your way through the school's halls, you seethed silently to yourself, your mind buzzing wildly with horrid (but appealing) thoughts of how to maim that dang prince the next time he showed that scrawny, blonde head of his. Heh heh… perhaps Reborn could teach you a few of those wicked assassin moves of his? That would be so cool! You'd definitely kick that damn prince's ass the next time he decided to 'grace' you with his 'royal' presence.

"Plotting someone's demise while skipping out on class is against the school's rules, herbivore."

Paused in mid-motion of your stomp fit, shudders ran down your spine at the menacing tone that had just spoken out to you from behind your back. Casting a quick, nervous glance at your book bag to make sure that Lambo was not visible, you took a deep breath before hastily turning around and beaming at the scowling prefect who was currently eyeing you like a lion staring at a vulnerable lamb. How creepy…

"Eh heh heh… h-hello, Hibari," you greeted sheepishly with a small wave, merely earning a dark look from the young man in reply. Oka~ay. Time to state your business and be on your merry way before you're ripped to shreds! "I was just on my way to the infirmary to drop something off to a friend. After that, I'm meeting up with my classmates, so don't mind me, 'k?"

Hibari was unresponsive, only adding more to the tension building up between the two of you. Laughing nervously due to the atmosphere, you slowly began to back away from the deranged prefect. A sweatdrop formed on the back of your head when you managed to take notice of the mirth dancing in Hibari's eyes. Well, that wasn't good. That usually meant he was about to 'bite-someone-to-death'. Oh boy. Time to use evasive actions!

"Ohmygawd! A sparkling vampire!" you exclaimed, swiftly pointing behind the prefect with a petrified look plastered across your features.

Hibari arched a brow, remaining stationed at his spot without so much as turning around to catch you in your lame bluff. He simply stared at you with an expression reading 'that-was-the-WORST-evasion-maneuver-I-have-EVER-seen-muchless-heard-you-moron'.

…Well, this awkward.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

Gokudera stared blankly at the white, tiled ceiling above him. His cheeks were still covered in a light blush, acting as though it were a permanent effect. Closing his eyes for a moment, Gokudera took in a deep breath, his eyes slowly opening once more to return to their previous stare of the ceiling. The young Mafioso could still feel his heart fluttering due to your early action before bidding him farewell. Lifting his right hand from its resting place by his side, Gokudera allowed his fingers to brush against his forehead for a few moments, allowing the palm of his hand to rest against the area your lips had touched a couple hours ago.

Did you honestly have any idea what effect you had on him?

"Hm?" Gokudera blinked in surprise when his ears picked up the sound of the door to infirmary opening and closing. Who could possibly be visiting him now? Or perhaps it was that lame nurse who STILL refused to show up even though she has a patient waiting? A low growl escaped Gokudera's lips at the thought of it being the unprofessional nurse. Who the hell does she think she is – showing up _three hours_ after her patient was admitted! Propping himself up with the help of his elbows, Gokudera narrowed his eyes into an irritated glare, his mouth opening to lash out at the nurse…only to have his mouth instantly clamp shut and his faint blush increase tenfold upon catching sight of you entering the room.

"P-P-Princess…!" Gokudera sputtered in surprise, his eyes widening at your slightly disheveled form.

"Hello, Gokudera-kun," you mumbled in reply, trudging over to the unoccupied seat beside your subordinate's bedside. Slumping down into the seat, you released a small sigh, allowing Gokudera's eyes to scan your form.

"What the hell happened to you?" Gokudera demanded, viciously ripping the sheets from his body to jump out of bed and place himself in front of you. Your perturbed gaze slowly began to morph into a bemused one while watching Gokudera fuss over your wellbeing despite his still fairly ill state. Tenderly placing his hands on your arms, Gokudera's gentle eyes narrowed into a menacing glare after coming to the conclusion that you had just come from a scuffle of some sort. Who the HELL had the gall to engage you in battle while you were caught alone? Gokudera silently cursed in his mind that he had not been there to protect you from whatever bastard had the nerve to confront you. When he found out who did this to you…they were so **dead!**

Deciding to calm Gokudera's rampant nerves, you shot the young man a bright smile, instantly causing him to falter in his silent fuming to nearly swoon at your adorable action. "Don't worry about me, Gokudera-kun," you informed your dear friend, your smile widening at Gokudera's cute expression, "a storm just passed through in the hall~"

"Eh?" Gokudera snapped out of his daze to shoot you an incredulous look at your response.

Taking the opportunity to gently pull your arms out of Gokudera's grasp, you placed your right hand on Gokudera's chest, applying a gentle shove which sent the young man stumbling backwards to fall flat on his back on the bed. Gokudera blinked owlishly for a moment, propping himself up with the help of his elbows to give you yet another incredulous stare. "What the heck was that for!"

Giggling at the perplexed tone of your subordinate, you playfully rolled your eyes, "Why do you think, silly? You should be r_esting_ in bed. Honestly, why must you men always require a woman's help when you find yourselves immobilized?"

An embarrassed blush covered Gokudera's face due to your teasing. Bashfully turning his head the other way so you wouldn't see his flushed expression, Gokudera tucked his self back into bed, trying his best to ignore the amused look you sent his way. Deciding not to even acknowledge his pounding heart, Gokudera allowed himself to flop back down onto his pillow, only to blink in surprise when he found himself leaning against a stack of comfortable padding. What the--? When did that happen?

"While you were being the typical man you were and taking your sweet time to tuck yourself back into bed…I built you a pillow stack! Nice, huh?" you snickered, enjoying the perplexed look on your subordinate's face as he tried to decipher how the stack of padding had been constructed from thin air. Haha. Guess he's still a little wigged out from today's events, huh? Poor Gokudera-kun.

Smiling sweetly at your silver-haired Mafioso, you decided now was as good a time as ever to present him with his dessert. "Well, now that you're back in bed, how's about a treat, ne, Gokudera-kun?"

Gokudera blinked a couple times in surprise. Had he heard you right? Were you really offering him a treat of some sort? The idea of such a thought caused the young man's face to heat up slightly. He hasn't even been a member of your 'family' for a week yet, and you were already spoiling him with gifts? Having grown up in the rough reality of life in the underworld, Gokudera couldn't help but marvel at your boundless acts of kindness. He's seen how most Mafia families work…the subordinates had to bend over back to try and impress the leader of their group…but when it came down to the Vongola family, it was obvious you and Tsuna put the welfare of others first, and treated them as though they were your equals – a rare trait that was almost nonexistent in the Mafia world now. And to think…that he, Gokudera Hayato, had been lucky enough to be welcomed as the first member of this amazing family. It was truly an honor.

"Ta-da~!"

Immediately drawn out of his thoughts by your voice, Gokudera turned his head slightly to gaze at your small form, his eyes widening at the sight of you presenting him with an enticing dessert. D-did you really make that just for _him?_ Gokudera could only pray you didn't hear the excessive pounding of his excited heart. The blush on his face seemed to turn into an even darker shade, causing the young man to believe that it might as well become a permanent stain at this point (considering how long it's been apparent on his face). Opening his mouth to try and utter a sound so he didn't end up looking like a complete fool, Gokudera found his self unable to form a single sentence. He could only gap at your delectable gift, earning an amused giggle from you in response.

"I hope you like strawberries, Gokudera-kun," you started in a light hearted tone, carefully placing the plate of dessert on the young man's lap, "I'm not even sure if you like sweets in the first place…but hopefully this is acceptable for you," you continued, a small bit of anxiety swirling around in your stomach as you held out a spoon for your subordinate, "but if you don't want to eat it, I under—eh?" you were cut off from your sentence when Gokudera suddenly grabbed the silver spoon out of your hold to scoop up a generous amount of your homemade treat and eagerly stuff it into his mouth.

"Uh…" you could only gap in surprise at Gokudera's unexpected (but highly appreciated) move.

Slowly pulling the small piece of silverware from his mouth, a warm smile made its way onto Gokudera's lips. "Wanna know something?" the silver-haired man inquired, his pale olive gaze locked on the pastry in his lap. Gokudera chuckled happily at the bewildered sound of your 'huh', deciding that was your sign of 'tell-me!'. Allowing his gaze to linger on his pastry for a couple more seconds, Gokudera finally turned his head away from the delicious confection to gaze tenderly at you. "I've never really had another woman's cooking before. It was always my sister's cooking I've had to endure…so I guess you could say I always thought women were horrible at cooking," Gokudera relayed to you in a thoughtful tone.

"What? You've NEVER had another woman's cooking besides Bianchi's? Wait! What about your mother? Surely you've had some of your mother's cooking, right?" you asked your friend in disbelief.

A forced chuckle left Gokudera's lips, his eyes seeming to lose a bit of their shine. "Nah. I've never tasted my mom's cooking."

You paused, instantly picking up on Gokudera's bittersweet expression at the mention of his mother. Deciding it was best to drop the subject and not push it any further, you allowed a smile to light up your features, happily noting that this seemed to perk Gokudera up. "Well, if the only type of woman's cooking you've ever tasted was your sister's…then you'd better get used to my cooking, Gokudera-kun. I'm going to stuff your belly so much, you'll have no choice but to reconsider that fact that women are horrible at cooking!"

Gokudera allowed your sentence to lodge itself into his brain, blinking owlishly for a moment before a smile began to slowly form on his face, soon morphing into a full blown grin. Your words had caused his stomach to churn (in a good way), his heart fluttering once more at your boundless act of kindness. Taking in your bright smile and gentle gaze, Gokudera couldn't help but feel a strong fondness developing for you. Perhaps with your help, he'd be able to dissipate his fear of women's cooking. Just the idea of you cooking for him flustered Gokudera to no end. "Heh, I'd like that, Princess."

"I'll hold you to that, Gokudera-kun~" you giggled, feeling your heart swell with happiness while watching your subordinate dip his silverware into his pastry for another bite.

"Hey, Octopus-head!" Lambo's voice called, catching both you and Gokudera by surprise. The small Bovino child lifted the top to your satchel, scrambling out and over to Gokudera's bedside. You watched on with a sweatdrop as Lambo climbed up the side of the bed, small grunts leaving his lips along with a small victorious hum once he had reached the top. Gokudera arched a brow, staring at the young hitman with a blank expression on his face. Lambo narrowed his eyes, gesturing dramatically at Gokudera with a frown on his adorable features, "Give Lambo-san your cake, Octopus-head!"

Was this kid serious? Gokudera released an annoyed snort, giving Lambo the evil eye. "Hell no. Go find your own treat, stupid cow. This one's **mine!**"

Lambo refused to acknowledge Gokudera's deny to his request. Instead, the small child threw itself at Gokudera's treat, causing your silver-haired subordinate to curse loudly and snatch his plate of pastry from his lap to lift it high and out of the greedy child's reach. "Damn cow! What did I just say?" Gokudera snarled, anger flashing through his pale olive eyes.

"Give that to Lambo-san, you stupid Octopus-head!" Lambo screamed, jumping up and down in failed attempts to try and snatch the plate from the much larger teen who continued to keep it out of reach.

"Not a chance!" Gokudera growled.

"Tsu-chan! Octopus-head won't give Lambo-san his treat!"

"That's because she made it for ME, you stupid cow!"

"Tsu-chan!"

"Princess!"

Releasing a small puff of air, you stood from your seat to try and break up the fight. While you were honored that both boys were bickering over the dessert you had slaved over the oven for the past three hours…you couldn't help but think this was a bit ridiculous. A Mafioso and a five-year old Bovino assassin fighting over a _pastry?_ How bizarre was that? Huh, maybe Tsuna _ was_ right about your lives becoming more and more crazy with each passing day. Go figure.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Too bad for Gokudera, getting a stomachache at a time like this," Yamamoto noted thoughtfully to his distracted friend, the eldest Sawada twin.

Tsuna was off to the side, away from the crowding group of males who were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the girls' Home Economics class. The teacher had stopped by a couple minutes ago to inform the boys about the girls stopping by to share their desserts, causing Tsuna's classmates to buzz wildly in anticipation, now crowding together to exchange information on which girl they wished to receive a dessert from.

Tsuna had distanced himself from the others, wanting to be left alone and away from the energetic crowd. He preferred to remain isolated when he found himself left without you there by his side. If there was to be any company with him, the only spot vacant was addressed solely for you. Tsuna decided that he didn't need anyone else filling in your spot while you were absent. The only person he would ever rely on was you and you alone. There was no need for him to try and fit in with the crowd. He didn't belong there, just like they didn't belong here with him. It was as simple as that.

"Tsuna?" Yamamoto gave the boy a small pat on the shoulder to rouse him from his thoughts.

Tsuna blinked in surprise, finally snapping out of his daze to peer curiously at the baseball captain. "Huh?"

"I said, too bad for Gokudera, getting a stomachache at a time like this," Yamamoto repeated his earlier sentence, causing Tsuna to grin weakly in reply.

"Y-yeah," Tsuna responded in an absentminded tone, allowing his mind to drift back to you.

The door to the classroom slid open to reveal Hana standing in the doorway with the rest of the Home Economics class standing behind her. A smirk appeared on Hana's lips as she placed her free hand on her hip, quickly sending a small 'hush' over her shoulder to quiet her giggling friends. Returning her attention to the male class, Hana's smirk widened, "Today we'll be giving the cakes we made in home economics class…"

"To the guys!" the whole female class voiced together in excited squeals, causing the male students to burst into a loud boisterous cheer.

"They look so good."

"Give them to me, me!"

"Gokudera-kun isn't here?"

"You want mine, Yoshimoto-kun?"

"I hope Yamamoto-kun will take mine."

Laughing happily at the excitement buzzing in the air, Yamamoto slung his left arm over Tsuna's shoulder, bending down slightly to see eye-to-eye with the shorter boy. "Tsuna, have you decided who you're going to take it from yet?" Yamamoto asked curiously with a large grin, oblivious to the bright sparkle glistening in Tsuna's eyes when he had managed to catch sight of your small form through the crowd of girls.

"Tsuya~!" Easily breaking free from Yamamoto's grasp, Tsuna rushed forward to greet you, unaware of the astonished stares he was currently receiving from the male and female students from having been the first boy to advance without a hint of insecurity. To be honest, Tsuna could really care less about what they thought of him at that moment. All that mattered right now was the fact that you were here. Tsuna couldn't contain the bright smile that lit up his features, earning a bright smile of your own which only seemed to enhance Tsuna's in the process.

"Nii-san," you greeted your brother in a loving tone, happily holding out the plate of dessert that you had worked hard to prepare for him, "I made your favorite~!"

Tsuna's eyes lit up with mirth, his smile widening as he accepted your sweet offer. His heart swelled with happiness upon realization that you had indeed made his favorite dessert, Boston Cream Pie. Picking up the small piece of silverware beside his slice of cake, Tsuna eagerly dipped into his dessert, his eyes instantly lighting up with a brilliant shimmer the moment he placed the savory treat in his mouth. "Wah! This is_ delicious_ "

Your brother's compliment had caused a delighted look to cross your features. Tsuna couldn't keep the silly grin from his face after seeing you smile at him in such a wonderful manner. Scooping up another piece of your delectable cake, Tsuna was just about to engorge his treat when Yamamoto suddenly appeared by your brother's side, catching Tsuna by surprise as he released a small yelp, his eyes widening in disbelief when managed to realize that the baseball captain was suddenly eyeing **his** cake.

"Wo~ow! That looks really good, Tsuna," Yamamoto noted cheerfully, his eyes glistening with unbridled mirth, "mind if I have a bite?"

Tsuna puffed his cheeks a bit, slowly taking a step off to the side so that his dessert was no longer near the eager Yamamoto. Narrowing his eyes into a slightly annoyed glare, Tsuna tightened his grip on his plate, easily expressing his desire that he had no qualms whatsoever in the possibility of actually having to_ share_ the treat that you made HIM. Besides, weren't there_ other_ girls who were willing to share their home baked goodies with the baseball captain? Allowing his brown orbs to sweep in the direction of the swooning girls eyeing Yamamoto, Tsuna couldn't help but release a small snort of indignation. Why on earth did Yamamoto have to eye HIS dessert when he clearly had girls lining up to offer theirs?

"Tsuna-kun," Kyoko called to your agitated sibling, having to repeat herself one more time before finally grasping your brother's attention. "Would you like to eat mine while Yamamoto has a piece of Tsuya's dessert?"

Tsuna blanched at the proposition, his grip subconsciously tightening on his plate in the silent gesture of 'mine'. Chuckling nervously, Tsuna took another step off to the side when he caught sight of Yamamoto eagerly stepping forward to try a piece of his cake. Can't he take a hint already? Swiftly turning his attention back to the patient girl offering her dessert to him, Tsuna forced on a smile to try and coax his crush into believing his soon-to-be excuse. "Ah, t-that's all right, Kyoko-chan!" your brother began, his normally gentle brown eyes narrowing into an exasperated glare while casting a sideways glance to see that Yamamoto was still eager to try and snatch a bite from HIS cake, "I want to finish Tsuya's first."

Oblivious to the rather surprised (and slightly disappointed) expression on Kyoko's face, Tsuna hastily stuffed his mouth with the delicious cake you had prepared for him in a valiant effort to try and gulp it all down before Yamamoto even had a chance to experience a taste himself. You blinked owlishly, watching your brother devour your dessert in less than twelve seconds, earning some rather perplexed looks from not only yourself, but Kyoko, Yamamoto, and Hana as well.

A small puff of air left Tsuna's lips the moment he had finished his cake. Relief had swept through his system after coming to the wonderful conclusion that he had been able to eat HIS dessert without any interference from Yamamoto. The thought caused a grin to appear on your brother's lips as he couldn't help but release a small chuckle of contentment. Allowing his gaze to drift over to yours, Tsuna was unable to hide the mirth dancing wildly in his brilliant chocolate eyes, earning a bemused look from you in return.

"I'm glad you liked it, Nii-san," you chimed happily, a brilliant smile enhancing your features after having witnessed your brother's overzealous behavior.

"Tsu-chan, would you like to try a piece of my dessert?" Kyoko asked curiously, turning to face you with hopeful eyes.

"Uh, sure," you began, turning your body slightly so that you were now facing the younger sibling of the Sasagawas. Casting a brief glance down at the confection that Kyoko was offering you, the hand that you had been using to retrieve said treat suddenly halted in its tracks, your eyes widening in horror at the sight of the revolting dessert which suspiciously looked like an exact replica of Bianchi's Poison Cooking. How the **hell** did that happen? Your right eye twitched at the morbid sight, a nervous laugh escaped your lips as you took a cautious step back from the horrendous cooking, eliciting a rather surprised (and slightly hurt) look from Kyoko in return.

"What's wrong, Tsu-chan? Do you not like sweet things?" Kyoko asked, her pretty face taking on the look of a wounded puppy, instantly tugging on your heart strings as you immediately felt guilty for having brought such a look onto the young woman's face in the first place.

"N-no, no! It's nothing like that, Kyoko-chan!" you protested, wildly waving your hands in front of yourself in defense. Your stomach began to form a knot, ready to lurch at any given moment in a vain effort to try and stop you from even considering the thought of just eating the Poison Cooking in order to please Kyoko. Tsuna also seemed to share the same idea. His face took on the expression of pure horror at the sight of you slowly (if not reluctantly) reaching out to accept the inedible 'food' being offered to you. Hesitantly picking up a slice of cake Poison Cooking, you nearly emptied your stomach on the spot due to the horrible stench emitting from the piece of 'food', along with the horribly slimy texture rubbing against your fingers due to your grip. _*Please, please, PLEASE! Let this abomination evaporate into thin air!*_

However, instead of the revolting Poison Cooking disappearing all on its own, your brother exceeded your silent wishes and solved the problem for you by releasing a mortified scream of '**NO!'**, then proceeded to slap the inedible piece of crap out of your hand before brutally slapping the plate of Poison Cooking out of Kyoko's grasp with a surprisingly strong force.

You couldn't help but nearly slump down to the ground out of pure relief, but lucky for you, you were able to remain on your feet, thanks to the help of your heroic brother who was now supporting you by gently holding your right arm in his grasp, his trembling orbs locked on your identical brown ones. While slightly amused by the overwhelming emotion of nothing but pure relief and satisfaction from his interruption of your acceptance for Kyoko's dessert, Tsuna couldn't help but feel a small sense of dread. Releasing your arm from his hold, Tsuna's left hand drifted lower to grasp a hold of your own hand, giving it a light and possessive squeeze while his eyes hastily scanned the room for any signs of Gokudera's sibling. So…she was not only out to poison him, but you as well? Tsuna narrowed his eyes, subconsciously tightening his grip on your hand – Bianchi had just crossed the line.

Meanwhile, watching the whole ordeal from within the building across from your high school, a coy smirk managed to make its way onto Reborn's features. Lowering his rifle a bit, the hitman causally loaded his special bullets into his weapon. "Good job protecting your family," Reborn praised, taking aim like the professional he was with his rifle, his eyes gaining that odd little 'gleam' he seemed to get every time he aimed a gun at Tsunayoshi Sawada. Once he was satisfied with his target, Reborn placed his index finger on the trigger, his smirk widening slightly in sadistic glee, "That makes you a boss!"

_BANG. BANG._

Your eyes widened in surprise as you witnessed two bullets impale your brother's body, one in his forehead, and the other in his stomach. It was like watching everything in slow motion now (you'd think you'd have gotten used to this after so many repeated events), the way Tsuna's eyes rolled to the back of his head as his body fell back to the ground with a sickening 'thud'. Within moments, Tsuna's skin began to glow, a small flicker of a flame appearing on his forehead. You knew what was coming now, and as expected, Tsuna was suddenly on his feet, ripping his uniform off in the process.

"REBORN!" Tsuna screamed, his eyes burning brightly with determination, "I'll protect Tsuya by eating cake with my dying will!"

"Uh…" you watched the astonishing scene of your twin valiantly devouring the two pieces of Poison Cooking cakes, your hands instantly holding your stomach at the sight of your beloved brother eating such…repulsive food. But to Tsuna's credit, he had managed to eat the horrid food without keeling over in demise (thank God for that!).

A gasp was heard from the entryway to your classroom, causing you to swiftly turn around to catch sight of none other than a perplexed Bianchi, staring at your brother with nothing but disbelief. "The poison cooking isn't working!"

From the within the building across the street, Reborn chuckled at the obvious chaos that had just erupted in your classroom. Calmly stroking the back of his chameleon, Reborn allowed a smile to grace his lips, "The bullet I shot at his stomach was the Iron Stomach bullet! You can eat anything and your stomach will be as strong as iron."

"Not enough!" Tsuna yelled, immediately drawing your attention back to your twin, only to have a sweatdrop form on the back of your head as you watched your brother zip around the room as if he was the infamous 'Flash', stealing everyone's desserts and greedily devouring each and every one of them without a single hint of remorse, and apparently turning a deaf ear on all of the horrified shrieks and angry bouts from the male and female population. "Still not enough!" Tsuna declared, despite the fact that he had already devoured everyone's dessert.

And as fate would have it, Lambo decided to pop out of your satchel, a wide grin set on his face while you nearly performed a face-plant at the oblivious child's horrible timing. "Someone give cake to Lambo-san, too," Lambo cheered merrily, waving his small arms to try and gain everyone's attention. However, upon receiving no recognition, Lambo paused in his ministrations to glance curiously at the center of attention (aka, Tsuna).

Tsuna's Dying Will Flame had finally dissolved, leaving your brother to snap out of his daze, only to find himself as the object of the male populations' heated glares. Releasing a small yelp of shock, Tsuna began to slowly etch away from the seething crowd, "I-I ate them…all?" Tsuna squeaked meekly, hiding behind your small frame once he had managed to reach your side.

"Sawada!" the male students screamed angrily, causing your brother to yelp yet again and cower behind your small body.

"There's no more…cake?" Lambo asked aloud, his voice wavering as his eyes filled up with tears. The small child snapped his eyes shut, his small body quivering while tears began to cascade down his face, "Gotta…stay…calm," the Bovino mumbled to himself, remaining still for a mere three seconds before suddenly hopping out of your bag with a shriek, reaching into his afro to pull out the infamous 10 Year Bazooka, "I can't!" Lambo wailed, jumping into the opening of the weapon and pulling the string attached to trigger, therefore activating his weapon and firing himself which then caused familiar pink smoke to flood the scene. Once the smoke had completely faded, you were graced with the sight of none other than…

"Adult Lambo appeared!" Tsuna exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise after having to witness the young Bovino child's older self a second time today.

"If it comes to this…" Bianchi's voice rang out, catching yours, Lambo's, and Tsuna's attention, "I'm feeding you my special cake!"

"Oh no…" you mumbled under your breath, tensing slightly as the magenta haired beauty came rushing down the hall with a large Poison Cooking cake in hand. The moment Gokudera's sibling neared your classroom, you and Tsuna were caught by surprise when the woman suddenly came to an immediate halt after catching sight of Lambo. You arched a brow, wondering what on earth could possibly be going through that mad woman's mind right now as she gazed at Lambo with a light blush, her eyes widening in disbelief at the handsome young man standing before her.

"You're…" Bianchi stammered, her blush turning a shade darker in the process.

You waited anxiously for the rest of the woman's sentence. What was she mulling over, anyway? Did she know Lambo or somethi—oh shit!

_/Flashback/_

_"Come on, Lambo! That's not your treat!" you informed the young child in a reprimanding tone, trying your best to calm the obnoxious child down who was STILL trying to swipe Gokudera's dessert. Lambo faltered for a moment after hearing your light scolding. Allowing you to scoop him up in your arms, Lambo narrowed his adorable sea foam eyes at the smug silver-haired Mafioso who was currently giving him a look of 'in-your-face!'. Huffing angrily at the superior glance Gokudera sent his way, Lambo began to childishly wave his arms and kick his legs in a small tantrum._

_"Tsu-chan! Octopus-head is being a jerk to Lambo-san!" Lambo wailed, earning himself a heated glare from Gokudera in reply._

_"Shut it, you stupid cow!" Gokudera snapped bitterly, his right eye twitching in annoyance. "And don't waste the Princess' time with your insistent complaints!" _

_"No one asked YOU, Octopus-head!" Lambo seethed, tightening his grip on your arms while shooting your subordinate a rather scathing look. _

_"Tch," Gokudera roughly shoved a spoonful of his delectable dessert into his mouth to prevent himself from lashing out at the young child. Allowing the delicious contents to overtake his taste buds, Gokudera happily swallowed his treat, pleased that the small, enjoyable moment had managed to calm him down (if only just a bit). Pale olive eyes glancing over in the small cow's direction, Gokudera's right eye twitched in annoyance when he caught sight of Lambo flipping him off. Ugh! If you didn't like the kid so much, he'd be DEAD by now. However, seeing as how you seem to adore the kid (why, WHY did you have to adore that thing?) it was rather obvious that you wouldn't want any harm to befall upon Lambo. So in other words, the damn kid was off limits. Stupid cow…_

_Gokudera's eyes narrowed into a heated glare, only to instantly morph into harmless pale olive pools of adoration when he had managed to lock gazes with you. Well…if having that kid around pleased you…then Gokudera decided he'd just have to put up with the brat – for your sake. After all, you were willing to become a better person in order to become a worthy boss for him, so, he might as well take this as the first step to becoming a more patient and tolerable man for you by sucking up and dealing with the __brat__ kid._

_Allowing his gaze to fall on Lambo one last time, Gokudera's eyes widened in shock for a moment before flashing with recognition, earning some rather perplex looks from you and Lambo in return. "I remember now! He's my sister's…"_

_/End Flashback/_

"Romeo! You're Romeo!" Bianchi exclaimed, her eyes instantly lighting up at the sight of Adult Lambo.

Tsuna's brows furrowed in confusion. "Huh, who's Romeo?"

"That's right, that idiot looked a lot like Bianchi's ex-boyfriend," Reborn noted in a nonchalant tone, scaring Tsuna right out of his wits due to the sudden appearance of the infant hitman.

"Reborn, since when were you there…" you asked quizzically, earning a rather smug look from hitman in reply. It was then he shoved a photograph in your direction, causing you to blink owlishly for moment before finally accepting the flimsy piece of paper. Tsuna peered over your shoulder for a look, only to have his face blanch along with yours at the sight of the two people within the photo. It was none other than Bianchi and her ex-boyfriend (who looked like Adult Lambo's doppelganger). "They're exactly the same!" you and Tsuna cried together in disbelief, "And why do you have this picture?"

"Oh Romeo, you were still alive," Bianchi cooed, immediately snapping you out of your daze.

Hastily lifting your head, you yelped upon notice of Bianchi pulling her arm back with the large and deadly Poison Cooking cake in hand, preparing to launch it at the unsuspecting Lambo who was merely staring at the deranged woman with a curious expression etched on his face. Dropping the photograph during your mad dash for Lambo, Tsuna was caught by surprise due to your hasty rush to save Lambo from his impending doom. "T-Tsuya!" your brother called frantically, watching you tackle Lambo as though you were some kind of quarterback (it was a rather impressive sight, Tsuna had to admit).

You and Lambo crashed to the ground, just narrowly having dodged Bianchi's Poison Cooking, which was now burning a hole through the ground where Lambo had been standing just moments ago. The two of you felt your stomachs' drop at the horrendous scene, mortified by the thought of what _could_ have happened had you not saved Lambo when you did. The only person who seemed to be highly displeased with your valiant action was none other than Bianchi. The woman released a small snort, turning her back on the two of you and flipping some of her brilliant, magenta locks over her shoulder before sashaying down the hall and out of sight (much to yours and poor Lambo's relief).

"Tsuya!"

Tsuna was by your side in an instant, fussing over your welfare with concern flashing wildly in his gentle eyes. "Are you okay? What were you _thinking?_ You could have been **killed!** Are you hurt? How many fingers am I holding up? What color is the sky? Name the first president!" easily becoming slightly overwhelmed by the questions your brother was throwing you, you captured Tsuna's attention by grabbed a hold of his hand, instantly hushing the boy up as he gazed worriedly at your small form.

"Take it easy, Nii-san," you reassured Tsuna with smile, "everything's fine. I'm not hurt."

It was obvious that Tsuna was still concerned for you, but despite his worry, he pushed everything aside so that he could happily embrace you. The relief he was feeling after coming to the conclusion that all was fine with you, swept through your system, managing to bring a smile to your lips. It always touched your heart to know how often Tsuna fussed over you (despite the fact that you were fully capable of taking care of yourself).

Returning Tsuna's embrace, you allowed your eyes to slowly drift shut, a smile still evident on your lips. "I'm all right, Nii-san…"

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"E-Eh? Did that really happen?" Shouichi asked in an almost dubious tone after hearing you relay your day to your BFF during your trek home with the brilliant redhead. Allowing his eyes to steal a glance at your exhausted brother and a rather pale looking Gokudera, Shouichi couldn't help but inwardly flinch at the obvious signs relating to your incredulous story. Then again…after hanging around you and Tsuna after that deranged baby showed up in your lives, Shouichi realized he shouldn't be all that surprised after hearing how your hectic day had progressed. After all, you and Tsuna were destined to be dragged down into the underworld by that crazy tutor of yours. The very thought still made Shouichi feel queasy (and highly disturbed).

"It was so crazy, Shou-chan…" you whined childishly to your companion, earning yourself a look of pure sympathy from your dear friend in response.

Shouichi released a puff of air. How on earth did it come down to all of this? One day, you and Tsuna were just some average teenagers struggling to get by in life, the next, a demented infant shows up and turns your whole world upside down (including those close to you – not that Shouichi was complaining, of course~). It seemed as if everything else was going downhill after your rather strange encounter with Reborn. Shouichi had to honestly wonder if things would ever manage to look up again for your little group – or maybe that was asking for too much…? Well, either way, Shouichi had made a silent promise to himself to never leave your side, no matter what! So, he'll be the friend for you to lean on whenever things begin to look bleak for you. After all, isn't that what friends are for?

"Shou-chan~" you called your bestie's name, immediately drawing the boy out of his dazed state. The redhead blinked owlishly for a moment, his gaze widening in surprise when finally managed to realize that you were offering him a dessert of some sorts. Shouichi could feel his face heating up, probably developing into a rather obvious blush no doubt. Stammering shyly while accepting your generous and heartfelt offer, Shouichi timidly took hold of the wonderfully crafted dessert. Upon closer inspection, Shouichi could feel his sweet tooth buzz in excitement after coming to the conclusion that you had prepared none other than a delectable Chocolate Angel Food Cake. Oh boy…one bite from this, and Shouichi was positive he would most likely fall into a sugar coma (not that he'd mind at all).

"T-thank you, Tsuya!" Shouichi stammered bashfully, his face heating up even more due to the adorable smile you shot his way. Just as Shouichi was about to direct his attention back to the delicious treat in his grasp, the young man couldn't help but inwardly shudder at the slightly menacing glare he felt being sent his way. Gulping nervously to try and stem his nerves a bit, Shouichi hesitantly allowed his eyes to cast a brief sideways glance in Gokudera's direction. Sure enough, the silver-haired Mafioso was steely gaze narrowed into a rather intimidating (and was that a hint of _jealously?_) glare. Hastily averting his stare ahead, anime tears began to streak their way down the poor boy's face like overflowing rivers. _*Why ME!*_

Silently debating with himself on whether or not he should eat the treat now or save it for later (mainly because he didn't want to eat his wondrous treat while Gokudera glared daggers at him), Shouichi decided he should just suck it up and enjoy the treat you had concocted for him after taking notice of your adorably anticipating face for his reaction. Picking up the small piece of silverware on his plate in rather delicate manner, Shouichi scooped up a rather generous amount of his cake, eagerly stuffing the serving in his mouth. Your once tired features instantly lit up the moment Shouichi's eyes widened in awe, a wide grin spreading across his face as he enthusiastically complimented you for the delicious dessert.

"Tsuya, this is **amazing!**" Shouichi exclaimed brightly, his grin broadening due to your happy expression. However, the moment he locked gazes with Gokudera, Shouichi began to nervously stammer that he'd save the rest to enjoy later. After having to witness your subordinates begrudging glare, Shouichi decided it was best to not provoke the Italian. The moment Shouichi had covered his dessert and stashed it away in his backpack, Gokudera seemed to appear somewhat tolerable (though he still continued to give your BFF a rather menacing stare every now and then).

After a ten silent (and oddly enough, rather tense) minutes had passed by in your group, the four of you had finally reached your home. You and Tsuna were the first to enter the household, Gokudera shooting Shouichi a warning glare before following after you two, Shouichi meekly making his appearance inside after lingering out front for a minute or two.

"We're home~" you and Tsuna chorused together.

Gokudera and Shouichi immediately tensed the moment your mother emerged from the kitchen, their bodies instantly straightening into a rather stiff position. "S-sorry to intrude!"

"Welcome back, Tsu-kun, Tsu-chan," your mother greeted you both warmly with a kind smile. Turning her head in the direction of the staircase, Nana glanced up at the level above, "Your new tutor is upstairs waiting," she informed you and your sibling, earning some rather perplexed looks from the two of you in return.

"I almost don't want to head on up to our room…" you mumbled dejectedly to your twin, receiving an identical response from your beloved brother as the two of you slumped your shoulders forward and slowly began to make your descend upstairs with a rather curious Gokudera and Shouichi in tow.

Once your group had managed to make its way to the closed entryway to yours and Tsuna's bedroom, you hesitantly reached out, merely holding on to the doorknob before reluctantly twisting it and warily pushing the door open to peer into your bedroom to see what horror awaited you. You were not disappointed (unfortunately). In fact, both you and Tsuna shrieked in dismay when the two of you had managed to catch sight of Bianchi causally sitting with Reborn at the coffee table located in the center of your room. After hearing your distressed cries, Bianchi turned attention your way.

"Welcome back," the beautiful woman greeted with a smirk, resulting in you and Tsuna cowering behind Shouichi while Gokudera collapsed to the ground with an anguished yelp, his arms instantly wrapping around his torso when his stomach suddenly began to churn painfully.

Watching your poor subordinate go down, your features took on a distressed expression. "Ah, Gokudera-kun!"

"W-why are you here?" Tsuna demanded, timidly peering over Shouichi's shoulder to narrow his eyes into a rather irritated glare.

"It's for love," Bianchi responded without hesitation.

"It's for work," was Reborn's nonchalant answer.

"Reborn needs me," Bianchi cooed bashfully, turning her head to the side as a blush became evident on her beautiful features.

"Bianchi will be in charge of part of Tsuya's training," was Reborn's rebuttal.

_*What they're saying is totally different…*_ Tsuna and Shouichi thought together in exasperation. Meanwhile, you were currently fussing over your unconscious subordinate. Honestly, could things get any worse? It took Tsuna a moment before Reborn's last statement had finally lodged itself in his brain. "You're Tsuya's tutor?" Tsuna shrieked in disbelief, wildly gesturing towards the woman occupying your coffee table.

Bianchi managed to pull a bowl of Poison Cooking out of seemingly _nowhere,_ flashing your twin a smug smile along with a thumbs up, "I'll teaching your sister home economics and art. Reborn asked me so I have no choice. I'll teach h-e-r."

"Tsuya already KNOWS how to do all that!" Tsuna interrupted heatedly with an irk mark, "There's no need for your services! So get out of our house!"

Shouichi remained silent, merely observing the disastrous scene with a sweatdrop. It seems as though yours and Tsuna's lifestyle had already turned for the worse. Casting a brief glance your way, Shouichi observed your frantic actions of trying to rouse Gokudera from his unconscious state with no luck so far. Your BFF's gaze suddenly drifted down to your satchel after noticing the top being flipped open to reveal a…cow child? What the hell? Shouichi nearly performed a face-plant after Lambo's unexpected appearance (well, at least to HIM, anyway).

Lambo's adorable sea foam eyes blinked a few times before finally landing on Bianchi. His once curious expression quickly morphed into one of pure terror. "Bianchi? AHHHHHHHH!"

Oh yes. Just another typical day in the Sawadas' lives.


	4. Chapter 4

**Well, this took **_**forever**_** to finally get around to updating. **

**Heads up to those who don't like reading in Second POV and such, but I'm honestly too tired to change it right now, but it shall be edited soon. **

**I also wanted to personally thank everyone for their thoughtful reviews and wonderful advice. I really appreciate it, and I just wanted to thank you guys again for being so patient with me. You guys really are the greatest – THANK YOU. **

**Disclaimer****: All Katekyo Hitman Reborn characters rightfully belong to their original owner, Akira Amano. The only thing I own is Tsuya Sawada. **

* * *

_**"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird,**_

_**and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours,**_

_**we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it **__**love**__**."**_

_**

* * *

**_

"Ah, where is Lambo-san?" Shouichi questioned in mild surprise, curiously casting a quick glance over his shoulder while scanning the area for the clingy child who was _always_ seen by your side. Oddly enough though, there was absolutely no sign of the child anywhere, raising Shouichi's curiosity to an imaginable degree considering that fact that Lambo has NEVER left your side – until today that is. Turning his gaze back to the front, Shouichi couldn't help but notice the drastic change in your brother's attitude today. Usually, Tsuna was very withdrawn while radiating drastic auras of discontentment whenever the Bovino child was present. However, today Tsuna appeared to be extremely jovial. Ah! He even had a bounce in his step as he held your hand firmly in his grasp and led both you and Shouichi to Namimori Middle High School. What could have possibly transpired at the Sawada household this morning? Shouichi inwardly shuddered, deciding to leave that silent question unanswered.

"Mom had managed to persuade Lambo to stay home today…" you began in a light tone, trailing off as your mind began to wander back to Lambo's strange attitude this early morning. It really was peculiar. The day had started off as any other chaotic morning (well, at least since Reborn and Lambo began to take residence in your oh-so humble abode), Lambo had clung to your leg and refused to let you wander off without him, wailing loudly in protest whenever Tsuna had tried to pry him from your body. After a good ten minutes of Lambo's loud wails, Reborn had finally snapped and removed Lambo from your presence by sheer force. Your home tutor then returned without Lambo and informed you and Tsuna that your mother had managed to keep Lambo under control and would continue to watch over the rambunctious child while you were away. Oddly enough, you had a nagging feeling that Lambo was shoved away in a random closet somewhere in your house. There was _no way_ Reborn had let the Bovino child off the hook so easily after Lambo had ruined the hitman's nap continuously the past evening. Casting a brief glance in Reborn's direction, your thoughts were confirmed when the infant caught your gaze and sent you a triumphant smirk. Poor, poor Lambo.

Tsuna was apparently enjoying his "Lambo-free" time this morning (as if his skipping wasn't proof enough). Your brother chuckled happily, tightening his grip on your hand while his smile increased in size. Shouichi couldn't help but release a small chuckle of his own due to Tsuna's cheerful demeanor. Honestly, did having that child around really have the opposite effect on your brother? Shouichi observed Tsuna's carefree nature, curiously pondering over the possibilities to Tsuna's obvious discomfort in Lambo's presence. Was it because Tsuna somehow felt threatened by the child? Shouichi nearly performed a face-plant at the mere thought of such an obscured proposition. That couldn't possibly be the reason...could it? Shouichi released a puff of air, brining his right hand up to run his fingers through his red locks of hair. The matter at hand needed more time and consideration before he could come to terms with his conclusion. For now, he'd just observe the odd happenings surrounding you and Tsuna due to Reborn's appearance. After all, he _had_ vowed to remain by your side no matter what. Allowing his brilliant green eyes to sweep over in your direction, Shouichi found himself smiling fondly at your small form. Yes…he would **definitely** remain by your side – no matter what.

"Ne, Tsu-chan. Tsu-kun," Shouichi called your names, instantly capturing both yours and Tsuna's attention. The redhead couldn't help but grin when he noticed two pairs of identical mocha eyes locked on his form. Allowing a small chuckle to leave his lips, Shouichi felt his heart warm just by being with you and your twin. Completely blowing off Reborn's calculating gaze as the infant trailed alongside your group while leisurely strolling atop of the brick fencing, Shouichi asked you both the question that had been lingering in his mind. "You two receive the grades on your math test today, right?"

Someone might as well have mentioned that a family member of yours had died off, Shouichi noted in bewilderment after receiving mortified looks from both you and Tsuna after hearing his inquiry. It was then a cloud of despair had begun to form over your heads, causing Shouichi to arch a brow at the dramatic turn your attitudes had instantly taken the moment the subject of your tests had been brought up. Honestly… you two couldn't have done that badly, right?

"Ugh, I completely forgot about today's test results!" you groaned pathetically, dropping your head into your hands while releasing an annoyed grunt at the mere thought of your teacher's reaction when he announced your horrific grade. It was no secret, really – the fact that you simply sucked at math. Normally you wouldn't give a damn, after all, there are some subjects people excel in, and others they fail in – and you fall in the failing category for math (simple as that), however, the teacher made it his main priority to announce everyone's grades to the whole class. This was merely a moment of public humiliation for both you and poor Tsuna.

"Hiiiii…we should've just feigned illness today, Tsuya~" Tsuna whined, grasping his head with both hands, anime tears streaming down his face at the mere thought of the horrors of today's class.

"Then you would be running away like a coward instead of acting like a man and taking some criticism," Reborn butted in, earning a rather spiteful glare from Tsuna in reply which ended up going unnoticed by the nonchalant hitman.

Shouichi tried to lighten up the dampened spirits that had apparently befallen over your group. "Don't worry, guys, I'm sure you gave it your best."

"Ah, Shou-chan~ it was like staring at an encrypted paper I'd **never** be able to solve! I might as well have been asked to define the definition of pi!" you grumbled bitterly.

Shouichi blinked owlishly, "'Pi' isn't an equation – it's a constant. Pi is irrational, that is, it cannot be expressed as a ratio of constants, but it can be truncated for common use (approximately 3.1415). Pi is given by the circumference of a circle divided by the circle's diameter…" the red-head trailed off, feeling his cheeks heat up due to the doe-like stare you and Tsuna were currently giving him. Releasing a nervous laugh, Shouichi sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, instantly coming to the realization that you were being sarcastic. Whoops. Guess he just felt his natural impulse to solve the 'equation' mentioned earlier. Eh heh heh…

Allowing your confused expression to slowly ebb away, your rosy lips curled into a bright smile as a delightful laugh managed to escape from you. "Hahaha~! Shou-chan, you're too cute!" you laughed joyously, causing Tsuna to join you in your contagious laughter while Shouichi's face became stained with a red hue due to yours and Tsuna's response to his earlier blunder.

Your nerdy friend bashfully adjusted his glasses, feeling his blush darken when you flashed him one of your brilliant smiles. Why, oh _why _did you find it amusing to fluster him so? Unlike your rowdy subordinate, Shouichi found himself unable to try and hide his affection for you. Tightening his grip on his satchel's sling, Shouichi released a small puff of air. To be perfectly honest…he really missed hanging out with you and Tsuna. Your quality time together had been drastically reduced to nothing but the mere walk to school, a small routine Shouichi had grown tired of having to cling to as the only duration to spend with you and your twin. Furrowing his brows in thought, Shouichi cast a brief glance in yours and Tsuna's direction. The two of you seemed to be engaging in conversation about the possible outcomes for your most likely failed results, causing you both to blanch at the mere thought. It was then an imaginary light bulb seemed to go off in Shouichi's mind. Yes! This could possibly work out…

"Ne, Tsu-chan, Tsu-kun," your red-headed friend piped up, instantly gaining both yours and Tsuna's attention. "How's about we have a study session this evening? We can go over the equations in your math book so that you two can gain a better understanding of the material."

You and Tsuna blinked owlishly for a moment before directing your attention to one another for a silent conversation with yourselves. Well, it wasn't a bad thought, right? After all, you both had probably failed epically at your last math test, so what harm could come from one night of studying with your good knowledgeable buddy, Shou-chan? The boy did have a knack for easily laying out the equations in such a manner that you and Tsuna were able to understand. Perhaps he could even help you two catch up in your class – now there's a thought. You and Tsuna allowed your bright smiles to become visible on your features, causing Shouichi to grin in reply.

"That's not a bad idea, Shou-chan!" you chirped cheerfully.

Tsuna nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, we're falling behind in class, so we could really use all the help you can give us."

"R-right! I'll do my best," Shouichi replied with a smile, his cheeks heating up with warmth at the thought of being able to actually spend some time with you and Tsuna…just like old times.

Reborn observed the energetic conversation between you three, his steely gaze causally taking in each one of your group's reactions. Clearly this nerd had a higher stature in yours and Tsuna's family than Reborn had originally thought. It was obvious that Shouichi seemed to have a special connection with you and your brother…something that appears to have been developed at a younger age and successfully continued to progress as years went on. The hitman allowed his cold gaze to linger on your red-headed friend for a moment, merely observing on in mild interest with how the nerd had managed to weasel secure a position in yours and Tsuna's lives. Even after he had learned that you both were involved in the dangerous underworld of the Mafia, Shouichi had continued to remain loyally by your sides, unexpectedly earning himself some points from a reluctant hitman. _After all,_ Reborn mused silently to himself with a smirk, this was just another game to him – let's see how long your friend will last before he finally cracks from all the pressure.

The smirk that had managed to worm its way onto Reborn's face instantly faded, his look of smugness easily being replaced by a nonchalant expression when he finally managed to notice an odd girl slowly (and clumsily) making her way towards him. The brunette's balance continued to waver, nearly stumbling off of the brick fencing she was trying so hard to remain atop of as she carefully made her way over to your group, earning herself some rather odd stares from not only you, Tsuna, and Shouichi…but the passerby's as well. The young woman didn't seem to take in any of the incredulous expressions; instead, she remained deadest on reaching your group without falling over in the process. You and Tsuna briefly exchanged quizzical glances with one another, wondering if this was another one of Reborn's odd friends…then again…she did look awfully familiar.

"Hello~!" the strange young woman greeted brightly, a smile flashing in Reborn's direction the moment she had finally reached you guys. Your brown eyes scanned her unsteady form, instantly taking notice of how wobbly her legs were at the moment due to her trying to keep her balance while standing perfectly erect in order to greet the Italian infant.

"Ciassou," Reborn greeted casually, not even slightly perturbed by the young woman's s_trange_ behavior.

"It's that girl…" Tsuna acknowledged, his right eye twitching in annoyance. You blinked owlishly, wondering how on earth your brother could possibly remember seeing this psycho…oh…nevermind. You and Tsuna exchanged knowing glances, while Shouichi furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Eh? You guys know this girl?" Shouichi questioned curiously, waving his right hand in a small gesture towards the girl who was completely infatuated with Reborn at the moment.

You nodded your head to confirm your friend's question. "Yup. She's that weird chick that's been stalking us this past week on our way to school," you informed the red-head, earning a look of 'oh-you-have-GOT-to-be-kidding-me' from the boy in reply. Chuckling softly at Shouichi's distraught response after he had learned that both you and Tsuna were now being stalked by a strange girl from another school district just so she could possibly catch a glimpse of your family's home tutor… Shouichi gave a small shake of his head at the disturbing thought, allowing his right hand to run through his red locks in a slightly exasperated manner. Well, so much for a normal morning, eh?

"My name is Myuura Haru," the crazy young woman bluntly introduced herself, despite the fact that your group was already extremely wary of her strange antics. For Pete's sake…does this mean she now feels inclined to invite herself to join you guys on your morning walks? You and Tsuna shuddered at the mere thought, while Shouichi shot a slightly aggravated look in Haru's direction. He wasn't at all pleased with the possibility of having to share his time with the Sawada twins with some whacky stalker – he had just managed to snag you two on your own, and now **this?**

Reborn remained impassive to Haru's energetic advances. "I know. You follow us a lot when we're going to school."

Haru's face immediately lit up, a blush spreading across her face in a rapid manner as her eyes sparkled brightly at the infant of your group. _*He remembers who I am!*_

"What is it today?" Reborn posed his question, intent on sending the young woman on her way so that he could continue escorting you and Tsuna to school without any further delays.

A look of surprise splashed across Haru's face due to Reborn's blunt question, however, that expression quickly faded to an eager high school girl (might as well have been a Twilight fan, ne?). Hastily lowering herself so that she was eye-to-eye with Reborn, Haru clasped her hands together, her eyes locked on the young child in front of her. "Um, will you be my friend?"

"Sure," Reborn replied, remaining completely aloof during this whole ordeal. By merely relaying answers to please her, the sooner she'd be on her way – at least, that's how Reborn planned it, anyways. His steely gaze watched the young woman squeal loudly in delight, pumping her fist into the air as a victory sign. Reborn arched a brow, wasn't this a little too much? The hitman silently agreed that 'yes', this was a bit too much, considering the fact that Haru was now swooning and teetering over the edge of the fence, causing her to lose her balance completely as she began to fall over.

"Ack~!" both you and Tsuna instantly sprung into action, racing over to try and catch Haru before her body made contact with the pavement. However, it would seem as though your good deed was not required, considering the fact that Haru twisted her body in midair so that she was able to safely land on her feet, completely unharmed. This unforeseen action had caused you and Tsuna to perform face-plants – why on earth had you two worried for the wellbeing of this psychotic woman? Your concern was clearly not needed. Oh joy…

Shouichi's face paled, his right eye twitching in annoyance as he watched Haru scream loudly in victory, doing some kind of strange pose after her successful landing. How wonderful. Another weirdo has made themselves known. Great. This is just what you guys needed – another whack job ruining your lives. Shouichi released a loud groan, dropping his head into his hands. Why oh why must it be this way? Was it seriously too much to ask for just ONE peaceful morning without having some kind of weird interruption? Ugh…that was probably asking for too much, considering the fact that Reborn seemed intent on turning your lives upsides down. Oi vey…

_*T-there sure are some weird girls about.*_ Tsuna thought begrudgingly to himself, dusting the dirt off of his school uniform after the two of you had performed a mad dash to try and 'save' this…odd girl.

Haru nervously fidgeted, eyeing Reborn with a bashful expression. "It might be a little fast, but can I squeeze you like this?" Haru questioned hopefully, then proceeded to squeeze herself as though she were holding Reborn. You, Tsuna, and Shouichi watched on with disturbed expressions etched on your faces as Haru cooed loudly, squeezing herself even further to the point where all of three of you silently agreed that if Reborn ever allowed such a thing…he would most likely be chocked to death.

_*What the hell?*_ Seriously, this was just beyond weird. Without a second thought, you and your brother hastily took a step back to distance yourselves from this odd woman. Shouichi immediately followed suit, not wanting to be left alone – wise choice.

Reborn frowned, not at all pleased with how he was currently being treated. Lifting his right hand up to his fedora, Leon crawled onto his master's hand, soon becoming enveloped in a bright light as he began to transform into Reborn's infamous weapon – a handgun. "Don't be so friendly with me," Reborn snapped irritably, aiming his weapon at the stunned face of Haru, "I'm a hitman, you see."

The infant's snarky response left Haru dumbfounded, causing you and Tsuna to release a puff of air. Why must Reborn constantly place you two in these uncomfortable situations? Did he honestly have any idea how awkward it was for you guys to try and weasel your way out of a fight whenever Reborn decided to bluntly state his stature? Seriously. The looks you and Tsuna had to endure from the adults after they had heard from Reborn himself that he was a hitman in the Mafia…well, let's just say everyone thought you two were a bad influence. Lovely, isn't it?

"Hey Reborn, don't say that in public –" Tsuna began in an irritated tone, turning his full attention to the arrogant hitman infant.

You were about to join your brother in agreement, but instantly became sidetracked when you saw Haru's eyes flash angrily, retracting her right arm in a swift motion. She wasn't going to do what you think she was going to do – was she? Your thoughts were confirmed when Haru swung her arm around, preparing to slap Tsuna in a harsh manner. Oh **HELL** no! Hastily dropping your book bag, you sprung into action, catching Haru's wrist with your left hand while your right hand situated itself on Haru's back. You then proceeded to slam the girl to the ground, twisting her arms behind her back while you dug your right knee into her lower back to keep her from struggling.

"Hahi? What are you doing!" Haru shrieked, mortified that she had been 'assaulted' in a 'horrific' manner.

"Hiiiiii~! Tsuya! What are you _doing?_" Tsuna yelped, completely unaware of what had just transpired.

Releasing a small snarl, you gave a harsh tug on Haru's arms, narrowing your eyes into a threatening glare. "If you EVER raise a hand like that against Tsuna ever again…I will personally see to it that your hands will be unable to function for the next month! Got that?" If the small terrified squeak from Haru was any indication that she understood, you decided to make your point known by releasing yet another low growl. Who does she think she is, harming Tsuna like that? If you could have your way you'd…

"T-Tsuya!" Tsuna called frantically, finally managing to grasp your attention as you immediately released Haru from your hold to happily bound on over to your beloved twin.

"Hai, Nii-san~?" you asked cheerfully, beaming brightly at Tsuna.

Shouichi nearly burst out into a fit of laughter at how drastically your mood had changed the moment Tsuna called your name. You were so smitten with your brother, Shouichi mused, watching you happily chatter away with Tsuna as if nothing else existed. Allowing his green eyes to observe Tsuna's delighted expression due to your undivided attention for him, Shouichi couldn't help but allow a small smile to grace his features. If anyone so much as even _glanced _at Tsuna the wrong way, you were instantly on the defensive side, lashing out at anyone who managed to offend your brother in any way. Oddly enough, that was how he had ended up meeting you two, Shouichi mused, thinking back to his toddler days when he had first encountered you.

_/Flashback/_

_"Hiiiiiiiiii~!"_

_Shouichi paused in mid-motion of inserting the last piece to his puzzle, his attention immediately drifting over to the small timid boy who had squealed loudly just moments ago. A frown appeared on Shouichi's lips when he noticed the small boy was clutching a shiny red race car in his grasp, his adorable mocha eyes wide with fear as he found himself surrounded by three children much larger than him in size. They appeared to be bullying the poor boy, Shouichi came to the conclusion with disgust, watching the scene worsen when the leader of the group stepped forward and shoved the smaller child to the ground without mercy. Shouichi winced, his green eyes softening with nothing but pure compassion for the timid boy who looked as though he were about to burst into a wave of fresh tears – oddly enough though, the boy had refused to let go of his shiny red race car._

_The other children seemed intent on forcefully taking the toy car for themselves, resulting in the smaller boy's cries of protests as he desperately tried to hold on to his treasure. Shouichi's puzzle piece fell from his hand to the ground, all but forgotten as his attention was now solely focused on the fight at hand. Why wasn't anyone stepping up to defend the timid boy? Shouichi's eyes swept across the playroom, instantly taking notice of all of the other children's obvious awareness of the current fight, however, it seemed as though none of them wanted to partake in the aid for the small boy. _

_"N-n-no! Please don't! My sister gave this to me!" the timid boy cried frantically, trying his best to keep a firm hold on his precious toy. _

_*W-what am I doing? I-I should help him!* Shouichi berated himself, swiftly moving to stand up, but just as he had gotten to his feet, Shouichi felt his stomach churn, causing the red-head to release a small groan as his right hand flew up to grasp the material of his shirt. "N-not again…" crumpling to the ground due to his overwhelming pain, Shouichi cracked an eye open, gritting his teeth while trying to see how the smaller boy was fairing. Much to Shouichi's disappointment, the leader of the group had successfully managed to pry the shiny red race car from the smaller boy's grasp, resulting in the latter's anguished cry. It was then that the leader of the bullies felt obligated to roughly shove the small boy to the ground yet again, pushing the poor boy to his limit as he then burst into tears, his wails echoing loudly throughout the playroom._

_Shouichi grimaced, his heart reaching out to the distressed boy with mocha eyes. Closing his eyes and allowing his body to curl into the fetal position, Shouichi couldn't help but mentally smack himself for his lack of courage. If only he had been able to stand up to those bullies…maybe then, that poor boy wouldn't be crying his heart out. _

_*Eh?* Shouichi's eyes snapped open when he heard footsteps rushing past him. Lifting his head a bit, Shouichi was able to catch sight of your small form rushing towards the sobbing boy. *Who…?*_

_SMACK!_

_Shouichi's eyes nearly popped right out of their sockets after witnessing you chuck a square building block at the leader's head. The toy car that had been in the his grasp fell to the ground with an audible 'thud' as the boy's hands hastily reached behind his head to soothe the bump that was now forming. Whipping around with a feral look in his eyes, the leader was stunned to find you confronting him, your large mocha eyes narrowed into a heated glare while your body language just screamed "I'm pissed!"_

_"Oi! Who the heck do you think you are? Bullying my Nii-san like that! I outta knock your block off, you JERK!" you raged, stamping your right foot angrily to express your unbridled emotions. You then proceeded to chuck another block at the older boy, hitting him smack dab in the center of his 'fragile' face. "Back away from my Nii-san!" you seethed, emphasizing your resentment by chucking yet __**another**__ building block at the older boy's face the moment he had managed to regain his composure after your first blow, only to be knocked back down by your second assault. "Go on! SCRAM!" _

_Shouichi watched on in amazement as the three bullies scrambled off in fear, not wanting any more blocks hurled in their direction – a wise decision. Turning his green eyes back in your direction, Shouichi was graced with the sight of you comforting your bawling sibling. *So…cute,* Shouichi came to the conclusion after observing your adorable interactions to soothe your brother's cries. Shouichi continued to watch in awe, observing your gentle antics to calm your older brother down as his sobs finally managed to subside. _

_"Don't cry, Nii-san! You were really brave – like Superman!" you exclaimed brightly, clapping your small hands together. Your brother sniffled one last time before hastily wiping his eyes with the back of his hands, desperate to try and dry his tears for you. Ignoring the blatant stares from your peers, you gently took your brother's hands in your own, shooting the boy a bright smile, which in turn, elicited a grin from him in return. "See~? No harm done, right, Nii-san?" _

_Opening his mouth to respond, your brother's sentence came out as a strangled cry when he managed to catch sight of his broken toy. Your big, bright eyes blinked in bewilderment, following your brother's movements as he scrambled to gather his broken treasure. Shouichi felt his stomach churn uncomfortably once more when he noticed the boy's eyes well up with tears. You frantically rushed to your brother's side, trying your best to ease your sibling's anguish._

_Your brother clutched the broken remains of his car to his chest, tears cascading down his cheeks like an overflowing dam. "M-m-my car…the one you gave me…for our b-birthday…it's b-b-broken!"_

_Glancing briefly at the plastic toy in your sibling's hold, your eyes narrowed into an irritated glare after noticing the damages that delinquent had inflicted upon it. You irritation, however, quickly faded away into oblivion the moment you heard a sob leave your brother's lips. "D-don't worry about that, Nii-san! I'll just buy you another one, k?" _

_Deciding that now was as good a time as ever, Shouichi pushed himself up to his feet, his gaze locked on you and your brother's forms. Shyly making his way over to you two, Shouichi nervously tugged on the material of his shirt, sweat forming on the palms of his hands at the mere thought of making his self known. Stopping a good few feet away from you, Shouichi cleared his throat, anxiety hitting him like a sack of bricks the moment your attention drifted his way. Feeling slightly queasy with the way your bright eyes observed his hesitant form, Shouichi bashfully averted his gaze, instantly gaining an interest on the interior design in the reading corner. "U-u-um…i-if you w-want…I…I c-can fix your t-toy for you," Shouichi mumbled, oblivious to the way your eyes instantly lit up the moment he had offered to fix your brother's toy._

_"Wah~! You'd really do that for us?" you asked excitedly, your eyes shimmering brightly at the prospect of having the toy repaired. _

_Shouichi's eyes snapped back to your form, a dark blush adorning his features as he mutely nodded his head, far too shy to say anything else. Grabbing your brother's hand, you happily bounded over to Shouichi's side, a wide smile on your lips as you gazed at the red-head with admiration. Hastily sputtering some incoherent words due to the close proximity between you two, Shouichi swiped the broken car from your brother's hold, turning his back to you two and rushing over to his corner to begin the repairs._

_Fifteen minutes had passed by, Shouichi noted silently to himself, continuing with his repairs on the plastic toy at hand. He could feel both yours and your sibling's stares on his back, causing his face to flush at the sudden attention directed towards him. Carefully screwing the left back wheel in place, Shouichi furrowed his brows in concentration. He didn't want to scratch the toy in the process; it had already been handled so roughly by the delinquents, there was no need for additional scratches to be added due to his clumsiness. A small noise of relief left Shouichi's lips when the wheel had finally managed to have been successfully adjusted back into place. Leaning back slightly to admire his work, Shouichi couldn't help but give himself a mental pat on the back for his achievement. He had managed to reattach all of the broken pieces (miraculously), all that was left was to reapply some paint to cover the newly acquired scratches (courtesy of those morons)._

_Turning around to face your anxious gaze, Shouichi proudly held out the repaired toy for you and your sibling, earning some rather impressed reactions from the two of you in response. "Wah~! It looks brand new! How'd you do that?" you chirped brightly, watching your brother gratefully accept his toy. _

_Shouichi bashfully rubbed the back of his head, a small sheepish laugh escaping his lips at the compliment you threw his way. "I-it was nothing, really. I just like to fix things in my spare time, so this was nothing!" _

_Allowing his bright mocha eyes to fall on Shouichi's form, a wide grin spread across your brother's face as he clutched his treasured toy close to his heart. "Thank you so much~!" _

_Shouichi blinked owlishly, completely surprised by your brother's sincere thanks. "A-ah~! I-it was nothing, really! I'm just glad I could help out, uh, um…"_

_"Tsunayoshi," your brother responded with wide grin, his smile easily reaching his eyes._

_"Tsuna~" you corrected happily, swinging an arm around your brother's shoulders, "Tsunayoshi is too long…so Tsuna is his nickname! It makes things a lot easier, ne?" you questioned with a smile, pulling Tsuna into a hug which elicited a delighted squeal from the boy in response. Directing your attention back to Shouichi while still keeping a firm hold on Tsuna in your embrace, you shot the red-head one of your infamous bright smiles. "I'm Tsuya, by the way. Thanks so much for fixing Nii-san's toy!" _

_A warm feeling began to bubble in Shouichi's stomach, and for once, it wasn't painful. Allowing his lips to curl into a smile, Shouichi felt his cheeks heat up, but he didn't care. Instead of feeling anxious and uncomfortable, Shouichi felt…relieved. Closing his eyes for a moment, Shouichi couldn't help but bask in the bright aura that both you and Tsuna were emitting. To think…that he f__**inally**__ found solace, and in the most unlikely of places, too, Shouichi mused, opening his eyes to gaze fondly at his newfound friends. Throwing his doubt and anxiety out the window, Shouichi held out his hand, a grin tugging at his lips. "My name is Shouichi. It's a pleasure to meet you, Tsuna, Tsuya."_

_You and Tsuna shared identical grins, managing to successfully pull a laugh from Shouichi in response. Reaching out, yours and Tsuna's hands connected with Shouichi's, performing the sacred ritual of friendship that would forever bond you three together. "Likewise~!"_

_Shouichi let you and Tsuna tug him towards the direction of the building blocks. Scrambling to regain his footing, Shouichi eagerly followed after you two, his heart soaring after having been accepted into your lives. This was truly the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Shouichi noted to himself, watching you and Tsuna shoot adoring looks his way. Yes… Shouichi grinned brightly, happily trailing behind his friends – this was the beginning of an everlasting friendship._

_/End Flashback/_

"Bwa hahahahaha~! Lambo-san has appeared!"

Shouichi was instantly snapped out of his thoughts by the boisterous laughter ringing throughout the air. Blinking owlishly for a moment, Shouichi managed to take notice of the drastic change in Tsuna's attitude. Instead of the normally jovial expression that could be seen on the young man's face, it was currently replaced by a look of pure annoyance – something highly unusual coming from Tsuna, of all people.

"Lambo!" you yelped in surprise, whipping around to see the small Bovino child swinging towards your group on a rope (speaking of which, what exactly was that rope attached to, anyway?). The moment his name had left your lips, Lambo's eyes lit up, a large grin spreading across his adorable face as he squealed with delight and frantically began waving to you.

"Tsu-chaaaaaan~!"

"Lambo, be careful! You'll…!" your sentence was cut off when Lambo suddenly lost his grip on the rope, causing the small child to hit the pavement with a harsh 'slap', earning some worried stares from you and Shouichi. "H-hey! Are you all right, Lambo?" you asked, concern laced within your frantic tone as you moved to help the poor boy up. Your movements were put on pause when Tsuna suddenly grabbed a hold of your arm, giving it a small tug in order to grab your attention.

"He'll be fine, Tsuya. Look," Tsuna told you, nodding his head in the Lambo's direction. Turning your head, you were graced with the sight of Haru rushing to the child's aid, trying her best to sooth his loud wails. This action had managed to cause a frown to appear on your lips. There was no way you were going to leave Lambo's welfare in the care of some s_tranger._ However, it appeared as though your thoughts were drafted, due to the frantic tugging on your arm as Tsuna began to eagerly lead you away from the scene. "Come on, Tsuya! We're gonna be late for school!"

"But, Nii-san…" you began, your words falling on deaf ears as Tsuna continued to hurriedly drag you off towards school with Shouichi in tow. A low chuckle could be heard from Reborn, earning a rather annoyed glare from you in response as you directed your gaze to the hitman perched comfortably atop of your brother's head. Your only response from the infant was that arrogant smirk of his. Pft. Damn egotist…

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Tenth! Princess!"

The moment your small group reached Namimori's gates, you were graced with the sight of your anxiously awaiting subordinate, his pale olive eyes instantly lighting up the moment they landed on you and Tsuna. Completely unaware of the astonished stares he was receiving from the male and female population of your peers, Gokudera rushed forward, a wide grin set on his face as he eagerly greeted your group. Tsuna chuckled nervously, giving a small wave to your family's subordinate, which in turn, caused Gokudera's grin to widen. Laughing childishly at your brother's apprehensive behavior, you did the exact opposite of Tsuna's greeting, eagerly stepping forward to pull Gokudera into a hug. Bemused by Gokudera's flushed expression and sputtered greeting, you were oblivious to the jealous look forming in Tsuna's gaze.

Releasing a small annoyed huff, Tsuna reached forward, his hand latching on to the material of your skirt where he then proceeded to give it a small tug, efficiently capturing your attention. Extremely relieved by the fact that you had now pulled away from your embrace with Gokudera, Tsuna's hand unlatched from your skirt to eagerly grasp your hand, giving it a small tug to return you to his side. Casting a wary glance in Gokudera's direction, Tsuna couldn't keep the small frown from forming on his lips when he noticed the silver-haired Mafioso gazing at you with a look of complete adoration. It was obvious that you and your newly recruited subordinate were developing a strong friendship with one another, making Tsuna wonder what exactly it was that drew you and Gokudera together so effectively.

"I'm glad to see that we made it on time today," Shouichi noted in relief, his gaze lingering on the large clock centered on your school building, "We've been late the past few days…so it's a nice change to actually arrive before the bell has rung."

"Ugh, no kidding…" Tsuna groaned, tightening his grip on your hand while furrowing his brows in thought, "we've had one too many close encounters with the head of the Discipline Committee. I don't think Hibari-san would tolerate us being late another day…"

Shouichi chuckled. "Well, on the upside, at least we weren't held up by anything too drastic."

"Like another crazy dog…" Tsuna mumbled dejectedly at the mere thought of the neighbor's new Doberman that had _mysteriously_ managed to find its way out of its gated home and had chased you three for _miles_ without relent.

"Or those bizarre elderly folks…" you grumbled bitterly, your right eye twitching in annoyance. Reborn's infamous smirk appeared on his lips when he happened to lock gazes with you, sparks flying between the two of you. It was no secret that it had been the hitman's fault for the elderly folks' belief in you and Tsuna harboring some tapioca pudding. Who would've thought how aggressive elderly people could become – and all for a simple cup of glop. How unnerving…

"I must say though," Shouichi mused, crossing his arms over his chest, "that stalker takes the cake."

Gokudera's handsome gaze flashed with anger at the mention of 'stalker'. A snarl left his lips, earning some rather perplexed looks from your group in response. Hands instantly delving into his pants pockets, multiple sticks of dynamite soon inhabited Gokudera's hands, eliciting some rather startled yelps from Shouichi and Tsuna. "Did that bastard show up again?" Gokudera questioned, his olive eyes flashing with rage at the thought of your blonde, psychotic stalker, "Did he threaten you, Princess?" Gokudera's anger continued to rise, causing attention to be directed towards your group due to your subordinate's shouts. While you desperately tried to calm Gokudera down, Tsuna was growing frantic after hearing that you had some psychopath stalking you.

"What the **hell-!**" your brother cried, grasping his head with both hands, "Tsuya, you didn't tell me you were being _stalked_ - much less by a blonde psychotic dude?"

Immediately catching your panicked look, Shouichi jumped into the fray, hastily waving his hands in front of himself while trying desperately to calm your frantic sibling down. "N-now, take it easy, Tsuna! I'm sure we're all just blowing this out of proportion! Besides, shouldn't we be focusing on other matters at this time?"

"Like _what!_" Tsuna exclaimed, his adorable mocha eyes wide with apprehension. He was still far too absorbed in your welfare to even spare a single thought on a different subject at the moment, "What could _possibly_ be more important?"

Shouichi decided to literally drop the bomb and get this over with. "Your math test."

The red-head watched on with a sweatdrop as Tsuna immediately shut up, his eyes flickering with the emotion of pure panic and dread at the three words mentioned by his childhood friend. Shouichi couldn't help but feel slightly guilty from having to bring such a travesty into the conversation, especially since it was a really touchy subject with poor Tsuna…but it needed to be done. Allowing his knowledgeable green eyes to sweep over towards your direction, Shouichi was graced with the sight you of you trying to calm your extremely riled up subordinate.

"Gokudera-kun…" you called your friend's name, desperately trying your best to grasp the silver-haired male's attention. Your efforts where in vain, Gokudera was completely oblivious to your frantic attempts to capture his acknowledgement, the Mafioso was too focused on festering his current emotions towards that damned blonde psycho – Belphegor.

How **dare** that bastard show his _ugly_ mug and threaten you during an innocent walk to school! Gokudera seethed silently to himself, gritting his teeth while his eyes flashed with anger, startling most of the male students who had just so happened to pass by. Tightening his grip on the dynamite sticks inhabiting his hands, Gokudera's face formed his infamous scowl, causing girls to squeal in sheer delight after witnessing their object of affection in his 'bad-boy' mode. Che! This would be the **last** time Gokudera ever let you and Tsuna walk to school without his company. Starting tomorrow – no, starting _today,_ Gokudera made it his main priority to walk and you and Tsuna _to_ and _from_ school. Let's see that jerk just _try_ and pull a fast one on you with Gokudera accompanying you. The mere thought of beating that blonde psycho to a pulp brought a sneer to the silver-haired male's face. Oh…he'd enjoy feeling that bastard's face crunch under his fist! Heh heh heh…

Gokudera found himself blinking owlishly in surprise, his murderous intent instantly leaving his train of thought the moment a clothed box invaded his line of vision. Lowering his shoulders so that he was no longer in 'intimidation-mode', Gokudera's face lost its previous sneer to merely be replaced by an expression of bewilderment. Allowing his stormy eyes to follow the delicate hands holding the offering, Gokudera nearly yelped in surprise when he found out that it was you who was currently offering him some kind of gift. Feeling his face heat up with a dark blush, Gokudera slipped his dynamite back into his pockets before bashfully accepting your gift.

Upon closer inspection, Gokudera couldn't keep the large grin from appearing on his lips after noticing that the cloth wrapped so nicely around the box was littered with adorable images of a green dog-like creature with large eyes. Placed in the center of the wrapping, was a sliver case with a pair of chopsticks stored away inside. Gokudera was unable to hide his surprise when he managed to finally realize that you had prepared a bento box for him. Incoherent words left his lips, merely causing his blush to darken at his flustered response to your act of kindness. After all, how long has it been since he's had a home cooked meal? (And no – his sister's horrendous cooking does NOT count!)

Laughing childishly at the stupefied expression splashed across your subordinate's friend's face, you grinned brightly at the Mafioso, extremely pleased that he appreciated your gift. "Haha~ don't think I wasn't serious when I said I'd be cooking for you from now on, Gokudera-kun!"

Gokudera's face flushed, his mind instantly reeling back to recall your earlier promise of changing his opinion on women's cooking. Snapping his eyes shut, Gokudera bowed to you, successfully managing to catch you by surprise due to his act of gratitude. "T-t-thank you, Princess!"

You blinked owlishly at Gokudera's extreme act of gratitude. Who would've thought that presenting the young man with a boxed lunch could have triggered such an interesting reaction? Oh well. At least he seemed pleased, you noted to yourself with a smile, watching Gokudera thank you profusely with an adorable blush splashed across his face, enhancing his grin to an utmost captivating manner. It was nice to see Gokudera smile like that, an expression you planned on helping the young man to develop into a reoccurring aspect (besides, it was such a nice feature on his face, no? Heehee~).

"Herbivores," a cold voice rang out, simultaneously managing to send chills down yours, Tsuna's and Shouichi's spines. Hastily whirling around, your group was graced with the sight of none other than Namimori's prefect, Hibari Kyouya. The young man was currently glaring daggers at your group, causing you and Tsuna to laugh nervously while slowly etching away from the seething male to cower behind Gokudera. The silver-haired Mafioso narrowed his eyes at the prefect, a low growl leaving his lips as his hands tightened their hold on his bento box.

"Well…I'll just…uh…be off…now…" Shouichi stammered nervously, slowly making his way past Hibari while avoiding eye contact. The moment your childhood friend had managed to make it past the horrific teen, Shouichi made a mad dash for the school gate, yelling 'good-bye' to both you and Tsuna before completely disappearing from sight (that lucky bugger).

The moody prefect then turned his 'stare-of-doom' towards the remaining three of you, successfully managing to elicit a startled yelp from Tsuna while you anxiously gave a small tug on Gokudera's arm, desperate to drag the other male off before anything started. Unfortunately for you, Gokudera didn't seem to pick up on your 'subtle' hints to hightail it outta here – instead, the young man was currently having a 'stare-down' with the head of the Discipline Committee.

"Gokudera-kun!" you called, tugging on the male's arm, "We'd better head to class – come on~"

Allowing his stormy eyes to bore into Hibari's steely ones with a fierce intensity, Gokudera released a small snarl, managing to successfully cause a smirk to appear on the prefect's face at the prospect of a challenge. However, before either male could engage in further 'discussion', you broke their little 'get-together' by managing to drag Gokudera off with some help from Tsuna. Blinking owlishly, the silver-haired Mafioso simply allowed you and Tsuna to drag him into the school building, leaving behind a _slightly_ amused Hibari.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Back off, baseball freak!" Gokudera snarled, his eyes flashing with a dangerous glint at the rather oblivious Yamamoto who was currently trying to see what the young Italian male had in his grasp. Jerking his bento box away from Yamamoto's prying eyes, Gokudera delicately slipped his prized possession lunch into his satchel, his irritation levels rising at a rapid pace due to the energetic young man's persistence. Gokudera's hands twitched in anticipation, subconsciously moving towards his pockets where his explosives were currently hidden, "Are you _trying_ to get me to blow you up?" Gokudera growled, preparing himself for battle.

"Haha~ are we still playing the Mafia game?" Yamamoto asked breezily, completely blowing off Gokudera's death threats.

"Why does this have to happen to _us?_" Tsuna questioned aloud in a rather exasperated tone, turning his adorable gaze in your direction while your two 'friends' began their daily argument.

Laughing childishly at your brother's aggravation, you allowed your hand to drift over to Tsuna's, catching him by surprise when you suddenly took his hand into your grasp and intertwined your fingers with his. Blinking owlishly for a moment, Tsuna cast you a sideways glance, his cheeks heating up slightly due to the bright smile you sent his way. A few seconds passed by before Tsuna allowed a small chuckle to escape his lips. The irritation he had been feeling just moments ago had completely dissipated due to your routine antics to cheer him up. Allowing his body to fall into a more relaxed stance, Tsuna gave your hand a small affectionate squeeze.

"Is the answer 'false'?" Yamamoto's cheerful voice questioned, a laugh instantly leaving his lips when Gokudera snarled at the reply.

"No, you **moron!** Where the _hell_ did you even get that absurd answer? That has _nothing_ to do with this conversation!"

"Oh, so it was 'true', then?"

"**NO!**"

Unable to keep your giggles in any longer, your delighted laughter filled the air. Tsuna released a puff of air, shaking his head at the absurdity of Gokudera's and Yamamoto's conversation. It appeared as though neither male knew exactly what the other was saying at the moment, merely causing the two to drag their conversation off topic multiple times before coming up with more ridiculous banters than when they first began, resulting in Gokudera's unbridled anger and Yamamoto's obvious amusement.

"Come on, Tsuya," Tsuna sighed, leading you towards your classroom without a glance back in Gokudera's and Yamamoto's direction. A small bubble of satisfaction began to coil in Tsuna's stomach when he felt you obediently comply with his gentle command. Casting a quick glance to the side, a charming grin graced Tsuna's lips when he locked gazes with you. Giving your hand a small affectionate squeeze, Tsuna turned his attention forward, his heart swelling with affection for you which resulted with his grin enhancing in size. It was the small moments like this that made him feel like it was just the two of you – no one else.

Gokudera blinked in surprise when he felt an odd chill to his right. Turning his head, the silver-head teen's jaw dropped when he finally realized that you were no longer by his side. Whirling around, completely blowing off Yamamoto's previous question, Gokudera managed to catch sight of you and Tsuna rounding the corner of the hall. "Ah, Tenth! Princess!" Gokudera yelped, instantly making a beeline after you two.

"Haha~ are we playing tag now?" Yamamoto mused, chasing after his new friend with a wide grin set on his face.

Gokudera sent a smoldering glare over his shoulder. "**NO!** And quit _following_ me, you stalker!"

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

Tsuna impatiently drummed his fingers atop of his desk, a frown set on his normally cheery face. Casting a bland look to his left, Tsuna's brows furrowed together in annoyance when he caught sight of Gokudera sneaking glances at you. He had been doing that through the whole first period, Tsuna noted to himself with a huff. Imagine the eldest Sawada's surprise when he found out that Gokudera had somehow mysteriously obtained the desk situated next to yours. The student that had been the previous owner of said furniture had _mysteriously_ vanished (wonder how THAT happened). Tsuna couldn't help but fret that this Mafia thing was getting in way over his head. Too many weirdos were popping up, and the thought that his privacy with you was slowly beginning to diminish, left Tsuna feeling rather sore with the whole ordeal.

Movement from you snapped Tsuna out of his thoughts, causing the boy to curiously cast a glance your way to catch sight of you eagerly scribbling down on a crumpled note. Baffled by your rather odd behavior, Tsuna continued to silently observe your reactions, watching you delicately wrap the note back up to its previous concealed state before passing it back to its previous owner – Gokudera.

Tsuna's jaw dropped at the unbelievable sight of you and Gokudera enthusiastically passing notes to one another. How long has _this_ been going on? A low growl left Tsuna's lips as his right eye twitched in annoyance. How on earth did he miss this 'sudden' interaction between you and the young Mafioso? Tsuna's irritated gaze drifted over to young man located to your left, watching Gokudera write with ardent fervor, his pale olive eyes alit with pure excitement as he then proceeded to pass the note back to you. Curiosity and jealously getting the better of him, Tsuna leaned closer to you, watching you eagerly unfold the note to reveal the silent conversation between you and your family's subordinate.

Tsuna allowed his eyes to lock on Gokudera's penmanship, instantly taking notice of the rather choppy font accompanying the handwriting. It was rather obvious that Gokudera was completely captivated by his current discussion with you, resulting in his hasty replies which showed that he was eager to hear your response. Tsuna tried his best to ignore the boiling emotions roiling in his abdomen. Instead, he focused his attention on the content of the note.

_I can't wait to see what you made me for lunch today, Princess~! _

Tsuna furrowed his brows, silently wondering why Gokudera was so anxious to try your meal. Mocha eyes drifted down to find your neat, feminine penmanship responding to Gokudera's message. Tsuna couldn't help but grin at the familiar handwriting. He recalled seeing the delicate cursive blending together to create a heartfelt message, the kind you would always leave in his bento box to cheer him up during his chaotic days. Giving his head a small shake so that his attention returned to the matter at hand, Tsuna focused on your response.

_Haha~! I'm pleased you're so eager to try my cooking, Gokudera-kun. I thought it'd take a bit more effort before you'd be willing to try any women's cooking again after the traumatic event with your sister and all._

Tsuna instantly picked up on your teasing tone at the end of your message, wondering to himself how you were able to be so comfortable around the rowdy silver-haired teen.

_Are you kidding me? Your cooking is paradise compared to half the crap I've had to stomach over the years. Sure, there was the time I ate a few meals that the servant girls would whip up for me as kid, but it always tasted so…I don't know…bland. It was disgusting. Besides, Bianchi **never** decorates her cooking, much less with adorable images of a green dog-like creature._

_Seriously? Well no wonder you were so deprived as a child! Honestly, a little splash of Gir in life would do everybody some good. Being a robot henchmen clad in an adorably odd dog costume for his alien master only adds to his appeal, don'tcha think?_

_ALIEN?_

_Yup~! Well, an Irken Invader to be exact. He still qualifies as an alien if he came from outer space, right?_

_AN **ALIEN!****?**_

_I'm gonna take a wild guess here and say you have some type of odd obsession for alien life forms, no?_

_I wouldn't call it an obsession, more like…a hobby._

_A hobby, ne? What kind of hobby, Gokudera-kun?_

_Cryptozoology!_

_Crypt…what now?_

_Cryptozoology, it literally means "study of hidden animals". I search for animals which are considered to be legendary or otherwise nonexistent by mainstream biology. This includes looking for living examples of animals that are considered extinct, such as dinosaurs; animals whose existence lacks physical support but which appear in myths, legends, or are reported, such as Bigfoot and Chupacabra; and wild animals dramatically outside of their normal geographic ranges, such as phantom cats or "ABCs"._

_"ABCs"? What on earth does that stand for?_

_Alien Big Cats._

_…Alien Big Cats? Are we talking about some kind of deformed creature here, or are we talking about REALLY big cats from outer space?_

_Alien Big Cats are large felines, such as jaguars or cougars, which have been purported to appear in regions outside their indigenous range._

_Wow! Really? How on earth did you learn about all this?_

Tsuna hit his forehead on his desk, completely baffled as to why you were so interested in this…cypr-whatever. Honestly, how could such a peculiar subject actually lure Gokudera into its grasp, anyway? He didn't really seem like the type of guy who'd be into this kinda… thing. Slowly lifting his head from desk, Tsuna cast Gokudera a glance, watching the young male's face take on an elated look due to your curiosity to his hobby. Gokudera's eyes flashed with glee as he hurriedly began to reply to your latest response. Tsuna watched the silver-haired Mafioso eagerly pass you the note, a large grin evident on his as Gokudera awaited your reply. However, just before you could even jot down your first word, the bell suddenly rang, signaling that lunch break had just begun. Tsuna couldn't help but feel _slightly_ relieved that your current note passing had finally come to an abrupt end.

Gathering his books and slipping them into his satchel, Tsuna managed to catch sight of Gokudera hovering by your desk, a giant grin plastered across his features (which apparently had all of the girls swooning at the sight). Releasing a small snort, Tsuna pushed his seat back so that he could stand up. Instantly taking notice that you were absorbed by your conversation with your subordinate, Tsuna puffed his cheeks out, his pout apparently going unnoticed. Growing rather tired of being ignored, Tsuna began gathering your books on your behalf, slipping them delicately into your satchel. Once the task was completed, Tsuna wrapped his hand firmly around your arm, giving it a small but forceful tug, efficiently gaining your attention as you turned your curious mocha eyes his way.

"Come on, Tsuya. Let's go find a spot to eat lunch," Tsuna informed you, his brows furrowing together in determination to keep your attention focused entirely on him. He didn't want anyone else tagging along, it was only going to be the two of you, just the way it always should be. Successfully managing to gently pull your surprised form out of your seat, Tsuna slung your satchel strap over his shoulder and then proceeded to lead you out of the classroom, trying his best to ignore the calls of his two 'friends'.

"Hey, Tenth! Princess! Wait up!"

"Ah, we're having lunch together today? How fun! Wait up, Tsuna~"

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

_*So much for it being just the two of us…*_ Tsuna thought dejectedly to himself, releasing a small puff of air.

Despite his efforts to try and lose Gokudera and Yamamoto, the two young males were determined to keep up with the evasive boy, eventually catching up with Tsuna and joining the two of your for lunch on the school's rooftop (again). Tsuna warily eyed the two intruding males, watching Yamamoto hum merrily to himself while pulling out his own bento box, meanwhile, Gokudera was currently sitting extremely close by you, earning a rather annoyed glare from Tsuna (which apparently seemed to go by unnoticed - _again_). Scooting closer to your side, Tsuna wrapped his arm around your tiny waist, gently pulling you towards him so that your hips connected. Ignoring Gokudera's surprised glance, Tsuna tightened his hold on you, trying his best to lose himself in your bright demeanor.

You silently observed Tsuna's behavior, easily picking up on your sibling's obvious jealousy for having your 'quality time' interrupted. Was it really that difficult for Tsuna to have to welcome people into your once secluded group? Another look at your apprehensive sibling directed you towards the answer 'yes'. It was rather odd. The two of you were twins, yet, while you welcomed the possibility of friendship wholeheartedly, Tsuna was quite vigilant by the whole prospect of having new people emerge in your lives. The feeling of Tsuna's grip gently tightening its hold on your hip drew you out of your current thoughts, directing your attention to distressed boy. Deciding you should try and calm your twin down before he had a conniption fit; you leaned into Tsuna, getting a rather hilarious reaction of pure surprise as Tsuna's turmoil emotions quickly evaporated due to your affectionate action.

"Tsuya…" Tsuna mumbled, a light blush dusting across his adorable features.

Plucking your twin's bento box from his hands, you opened it for him, revealing a delicious entrée of chicken dumplings, along with a broccoli and bell pepper stir-fry, and accompanied with a side of rice and furikake. Tsuna couldn't help but grin at the delicious sight, his grim thoughts disappearing to be replaced with delight. Happily accepting the bento box you offered him, Tsuna grabbed his chopstick and popped a chicken dumpling into his mouth, a satisfying hum leaving his lips at the enticing meal.

Eager to see what you made for him today, Gokudera hastily began to open his own bento box, but not before delicately placing the adorable patterned cloth in his pocket. Lifting the lid, Gokudera's eyes were met with the sight of a delectable honey-ginger chicken, stir-fried broccoli and tofu nuggets located on the left side of his dish. On the right side, there was a bed or rice, yet (to Gokudera's utter amusement), laid delicately atop of the bed of rice was the figure of the adorable character, Chococat. The kitten appeared to have been made from nori, and its nose and collar were crafted with American Cheese.

Gokudera couldn't help but marvel at the level of your creativity. Never before had he ever had someone concoct him a meal in such an adorable manner. Most meals were rather bland looking, half of them looking so unappealing, that Gokudera upright refused to eat it. But this…well, _this_ was different. The charming grin that graced Gokudera's features was an obvious sign of his appreciation for your hard work. Pulling his chopsticks out of its case, Gokudera began to feast, his stomach churning with butterflies at the thought of you having prepared this meal, just for him.

The moment Gokudera popped a piece of ginger chicken into his mouth, his taste buds buzzed, sending shivers up his spine. Unable to keep his jaw from slacking at the unbelievable taste of a home cooked meal, Gokudera eyes glistened with an emotion he couldn't quite grasp. His grip on his chopsticks tightened considerably, his eyes snapping shut as Gokudera tried his best to get a good reign over his emotions. It was bad enough that his heart just _wouldn't_ stop inflating, to the point where Gokudera literally thought it would burst. He felt so overwhelmed by the fact that someone had actually prepared a home cooked meal for him. As corny as it sounds…it really did taste like it was made with love (seriously, it did!). Gokudera honestly couldn't describe it, but he could definitely tell the difference between a normal meal and a meal made love.

For instance, a normal meal could be considered an entrée crafted by a five-star restaurant. Sure, the meal would be top-notch with only the finest ingredients, but it wouldn't have that special flare due to the fact that the chef made the meal for a complete stranger. Now, take you. You would personally see to it that the meal you were making would please the person you were cooking for. You had a connection with the people you cooked for, therefore, you would make a meal that matched their tastes and prepare it love and affection. Just like the meals you made for Tsuna and Gokudera (che, that nerd too).

"Wah~! That's so cute, Gokudera!" Yamamoto's cheery voice instantly snapped Gokudera out of his thoughts, crushing what little empathy the silver-haired Mafioso was currently experiencing.

Turning a fiery gaze towards the baseball captain, Gokudera couldn't fight the blush spreading across his face due to the fact that the optimistic young man had not only interrupted his thoughts, but was also invading his personal space. Apparently Yamamoto was amused by the adorable Chococat decorating his friend's meal, causing Gokudera to release a low growl before jerking his bento box back and angling it slightly so that it was out of Yamamoto's line of vision.

"Mind your own business, you baseball freak!" Gokudera snapped bitterly.

"Haha! No need to be so defensive. How's about you let me have a piece, ne?" Yamamoto asked, a bright smile lighting his face.

The idea did not seem to bode well with Gokudera. "**HELL NO!**"

You and Tsuna watched the two young men engage in their daily 'arguments'. It was rather entertaining, to say the least – watching Gokudera and Yamamoto go at it in the oddest of ways. A small sigh from your left brought your attention to Tsuna, a small giggle leaving your lips when you noticed the blank expression on his face due to his friends' 'enthusiasm'. Large mocha eyes blinked in surprise when Tsuna heard your small noise of amusement. Turning his head slightly so that he could glance your way, a warm smile lit your twin's face when managed to lock gazes with you. Giving your hand a small affectionate squeeze, Tsuna's right hand delve into his pocket to grasp the note you left for him in his bento box.

Allowing his hand to hold the note in a fond manner, Tsuna couldn't help but allow his mind to drift off towards yesterday evening's events.

_/Flashback/_

_It had been quite the task to finally get Lambo tucked away in bed without having him throw a fit due to the fact that you weren't joining him for another hour or so. You had promised the small Bovino child that you would come to bed soon, informing him that you had some chores you needed to finish up for the evening before doing so. Lambo begrudgingly agreed that he'd stay put, earning an affectionate kiss on his forehead from you that had the small child squealing in delight – despite the fact that Tsuna was currently glaring daggers at the young assassin in response to your loving gesture._

_After you had managed to drag Tsuna downstairs, you led your beloved twin into your family's kitchen, earning a curious stare from your brother in reply when you released his hand to swiftly pull your hair back into a messy bun. Slipping an apron over your small frame, you then proceeded to pull out various pots and pans, snickering at the stupefied expression on your sibling's face due to your desire to cook at this time of night. _

_"What are you doing, Tsuya?" Tsuna questioned, his adorable mocha eyes following your every move._

_"I'm making yours and Gokudera's lunch for tomorrow, silly~" you responded cheerfully, bounding over to the fridge to gather the main ingredients required for the meals. _

_Tsuna felt a silly grin make its way onto his features, only to slowly fade away when the last bit of your sentence finally managed to run through his mind. "…Gokudera's?" _

_"Uh-huh," you hummed your response, laying most of the main ingredients down on the countertop, "I promised Gokudera-kun that I would cook for him from now on since he's never really had another woman's cooking other than his crazy sister's," you informed your sibling while pulling open an appliance drawer. "He said he'd be looking forward to it, so I really wanna make him something special…" you commented with grin, completely oblivious to the scowl on Tsuna's face. _

_"Couldn't he just buy one from the store?" Tsuna muttered bitterly under his breath, highly displeased by the fact that you were cooking for another boy other than himself. _

_"There's no love in a store-bought meal, Nii-san," you chided, shooting a 'you-should-know-that-look' over your shoulder at your disgruntled sibling. _

_Tsuna merely huffed in reply, only to yelp in surprise moments later when a large piece of fabric was suddenly chucked at his form and was now currently blocking his line of vision. Fumbling around awkwardly to try and remove the piece of material from his head, Tsuna finally managed to jerk the item from his form. Sending it a half-hearted glare, Tsuna held the piece of fabric out at arm's length, only to have his eyes widen in surprise when he finally came to realization that you had chucked an apron at him. _

_"Eh? What's this for?" Tsuna questioned, his emotions of irritation and jealousy slowly simmering down to a nonexistent simmer due to his current curiosity. _

_Playfully rolling your eyes at your brother's naivety, you stalked over to Tsuna, picking the apron from his hold and swiftly placing it on the young man with ease, earning a rather embarrassed stutter from Tsuna in response. You giggled at your sibling's adorable antics, leaning forward slightly to place a tender kiss on Tsuna's check which resulted with having the boy's face become stained with a red blush, only adding to his overall zeal. _

_"You're just too cute, Nii-san," you sang in a sing-song voice, happily skipping off to your designated area of cooking._

_Tsuna tried to calm his rapidly beating heart, a small groan leaving his lips when he realized that his blush appeared to be permanent for the time being. Glancing down with a pout adoring his features, Tsuna's eyes landed on the beige colored material of the apron that you had bestowed him with. Allowing his gaze to linger on the object for a couple more seconds, Tsuna nearly blanched when he finally managed to realize that this apron belonged to your father. The bold letters reading "Kiss the Chef" were printed right in the center of the ensemble, causing Tsuna's mind to flash back to your previous act of affection for him just moments ago. It would appear as though your sense of humor was still fresh, Tsuna mused with a sigh, slowly making his way over to your side. _

_Once he reached your side, Tsuna blinked owlishly for a moment, merely allowing his gaze to fall upon the multiple ingredients that you had laid out in order to prepare the meals. Your small form zipping back and forth as you continued to gather some other minor ingredients could be seen by Tsuna's peripheral vision, managing to bring a grin to the boy's lips. Gently grabbing a hold of your arm to cease your frantic movements, Tsuna plucked the jar of honey from your hands, gracing you with another one of his charming grins. "Why don't you tell me what other ingredients you need, and I'll get them for you, Tsu~" _

_Caught by surprise with Tsuna's eagerness to help you prepare the meals, you were stunned to silence for a moment before a brilliant smile lit up your features, managing to cause Tsuna's own grin to enhance in response to your own delight. Happily listing off the last of the remaining ingredients that you required for the meals, you couldn't suppress the bouts of giggles from escaping your lips when Tsuna placed his hand atop of your head and gave you an affectionate pat, only to playfully salute you moments later before turning on his heels and bounding off to gather the last of your supplies. _

_Twenty minutes later, you and Tsuna were on a roll, having already cleaned and washed the raw chicken and vegetables, the two of you were currently adding various ingredients into a bowl, preparing the seasoning required for Tsuna's lunch. _

_"Wah~ so messy…" Tsuna mumbled under his breath, trying his best to prevent any more flour from pouring out of the delicate sack containing the messy powder._

_Laughing at your brother's inexperience at cooking, you turned your back on your beloved twin to tend to the sauce brewing for Gokudera's dish. Delicately adding the chopped onions into the boiling oil pot, you almost dropped the now empty small red bowl (which had previously contained the onions) when you heard a loud and rather odd sound emitting from behind you. Whirling around to see what the matter was, your eyes were met with the sight of a very stunned and bleached white Tsuna whose hands were now clutching a depleted sack of flour. You blinked a couple of times, merely taking in the hilarious scene of your flour clad sibling who appeared to still be in some kind of shock due to the whole ordeal. Moments later, you nearly busted a gut from laughing so hard, causing a light hue to slowly become visible on Tsuna's powdered face._

_"Tsuuuuyaaa~" Tsuna whined meekly._

_"S-sorry, Nii-san," you giggled, trying your best to stop your fit of laughter. However, one more glance in Tsuna's direction had you breaking into another delighted onslaught of giggles, causing your right hand to fly up and cover your mouth in an attempt to cease the bout of amusement. When Tsuna shot you a deadpanned look, your unconcealed giggles finally ceased, your lips merely taking on the form of a bright smile. Happily bounding over to your flour-clad sibling, you reached down into your apron pocket to pull out a handkerchief. Placing your left hand on Tsuna's shoulder, you leaned up to clean the flustered boy's face, oblivious to the stutters leaving Tsuna's lips in a frantic frenzy. _

_"Don't be such a baby, Nii-san~" you chided merrily, a grin breaking out across your features as you gently swiped the cloth over Tsuna's face, revealing your brother's handsome features the moment the flour was wiped clean off. "So cute!"_

_"Quite teasing me!" Tsuna whined childishly, allowing his hands to grab a hold of your waist and tug you closer to his body, "You know I've never cooked before. This is all so new to me…"_

_"Oh, come on, now~" you hummed, giving your brother a quick hug once you were done cleaning his face. Pulling back, a Cheshire cat grin graced your features, earning a rather wary look from Tsuna in reply to your mischievous expression. "Besides, don't you want to know how to cook a meal for your future wife?" _

_**"TSUUUUYAAAAA!"**_

_Nana blinked in surprise, immediately caught off guard by the loud shout that had broken the silence in her household. Placing her current chore of laundry on halt, Nana left the washroom to travel towards his kitchen, her curiosity growing when she caught sight of the light on. Peering around the corner, wondering if one of the children had come downstairs for a late night snack, Nana was shocked to see you and Tsuna scrambling around in a rather adorable fashion. Tsuna was currently chucking marshmallows in your direction, his face beet red, while you, on the other hand, were squealing loudly in delight, dodging the sugary treats before tackling your sibling into a hug. _

_"Chocolate kiss attack!"_

_"No, don't!" _

_"MWAH~!"_

_"Uwah! Tsuuuyaaa! That stuff's sticky!" _

_Nana covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her bout of giggles. The woman had nearly lost it when she had watched you place chocolate sauce on your lips before assaulting Tsuna with the delectable dessert ingredient. Needless to say, the affectionate gestures shared between you and Tsuna brought a warm smile to the mother's lips as she watched you two interact. Leaning against the wall, still hidden from view, Nana watched on as you and Tsuna returned to your previous task of cooking – but not before the two of you had shared one last affectionate hug._

_/End Flashback/_

The sound of the school bell ringing out through the air startled Tsuna, causing the young man to yelp in surprise. Your soft giggles brought a light blush to Tsuna's face, a small groan leaving his lips due to the fact that you would probably tease him about this later. Oh well, Tsuna mused, standing up while pulling you up with him, at least you guys only had a couple hours of school left before the two of you could head on home to have study session with your BFF, Irie Shouichi. That single thought brought a smile to Tsuna's face as he gave your hand a small tug and eagerly began to lead you bag to class, his heart swelling at the thought of having a 'normal' evening.

"Come on, we're gonna be late for class!" Tsuna called brightly to your group.

You happily trotted after your brother, casting a brief glance over your shoulder to shoot Gokudera a grin when the two of you managed to lock gazes. Turning your attention back to the front, you loyally trailed after Tsuna, leaving the two young men to follow after you and Tsuna. Yamamoto laughed merrily, picking himself up off of the ground before heading off to class himself, leaving Gokudera behind as the young male stood up to follow, anxious to catch up with your group. However, just as Gokudera was about to take off, a small piece of paper fluttering to the ground due to his sudden motion of standing up, caught Gokudera's attention.

Squatting down to pick up the small note, Gokudera's eyes widened in surprise when he noticed the familiar and delicate handwriting scrawled forming a message.

_A true friend, a priceless treasure._


	5. Chapter 4 Part 2

**Well, first things first - HAPPY NEW YEAR~!**

**I apologize for having taken so long for this update, but in my defense, this was actually quite a piece to write up. Please be prepared for an extremely LOOOOOONG chapter here - you **_**have**_** been warned~! (This chapter is 73 pages long in Microsoft Word)**

**Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews! It really helps keep me motivated to write, so I really want to thank you all once again for keeping me inspired to write. I'll try my best to respond to all of the reviews, but until then, I just want to let you all know that I really appreciate it~!**

**I do hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I worked **_**really**_** hard on it and I'm quite satisfied with how it turned out. **

**Disclaimer****: All Katekyo Hitman Reborn characters belong to their rightful owner, Akira Amano. The only thing I **_**do**_** own is Tsuya Sawada. ^3^**

Gokudera's mind was in a haze, his focus entirely on the small piece of paper in his grasp. The young male had been completely oblivious to all of the 'subtle' hints the female population threw his way in desperate attempts to somehow catch his attention once Gokudera had finally managed to make his way back into the classroom after his lunch break. However, the Mafioso had more important things on his mind at the moment, so he naturally turned a blind eye to the rather foolhardy advances from his female peers.

Holding the piece of paper as though it were delicate china, Gokudera read and re-read the message you had written up for him and placed in his bento box with the utmost care. The thought that you had gone so far as to personally write him a heartfelt note left Gokudera feeling rather…giddy. It was obvious that you cherished your friendship with the young male, and for that, Gokudera was extremely thrilled. No one had ever taken the time to actually go out of their way to ensure his happiness before, in fact, half the time people went out of their way to _harass_ Gokudera simply because he did not wish to socialize with others (much less men who thought they outranked him). Pale olive eyes gazed down at your handwriting with a look of utmost adoration, completely captivated by fact that you thought of him as not only a close friend, but a priceless treasure. Ah, there goes his heart again, Gokudera noted in mild amusement, unable to keep the silly grin from appearing on his lips.

Completely unaware of his surroundings, Gokudera didn't hear the teacher call his name in an attempt to try and grasp his attention. It wasn't until he heard your voice ushering his name in a whisper that Gokudera snapped out of his daze, casting you a curious glance. Watching you gesture towards the front of the class with a small nod of your head, Gokudera's eyes swept over to the front, blinking in surprise when he finally noticed the teacher calling his name (again). Carefully placing your note in his pocket, Gokudera arched a brow in mild curiosity when the teacher motioned for him to 'come here'. Slowly making his way over to the middle-aged man (there was no reason for him to rush anyway), Gokudera stuffed his hands into his pockets and wondered what the man could possibly want with him.

"Gokudera Hayato-kun," the teacher recited his name (yet _again_), holding up his previous math test with the finished results, "you scored one hundred points on the math test."

Completely disinterested in the astonished 'oohs' and 'ahhs' by his peers, Gokudera accepted his test results with a bland expression on his face. This was nothing new, anyways. No reason for him to feel as though he did an 'outstanding' job. The test was way too easy and he hadn't felt challenged at all by the equations listed to try and challenge the students in some way. Turning his back on the teacher without bothering with some kind of response, Gokudera began to make his way back to his desk, ignoring the admiring stares sent his way by both the male and female population.

"Wow~! That's _**amazing**_, Gokudera-kun!"

The sound of your voice instantly caught Gokudera's attention, his heart inflating tremendously due to your enthusiastic compliment and the charming smile you shot his way. Tightening his grip on his test, not caring in the least that he was wrinkling his work, Gokudera grinned bashfully, his stomach filling with butterflies at the thought that you were impressed by his score. "Nah, this much is easy."

Regardless of his humbleness, you decided that your dear friend deserved more praise. "Well, either way, I'm so proud of you, Gokudera-kun!"

Cue the embarrassed blush.

Gokudera sputtered in response, his cheeks alighting with a rather dark blush after hearing your heartfelt compliment. Snapping his mouth shut so that he was no longer spouting incoherent nonsense, Gokudera hastily averted his gaze so that you wouldn't see his flustered expression, taking his seat in a rather swift manner while trying his best not to swoon due to the sudden attention you were bestowing upon him. Gokudera could only pray that you didn't hear the insistent beating of his heart as it hammered mercilessly against his ribcage.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi, Sawada Tsuyako, and Yamaoto Takashi," the teacher called your names, causing you and Tsuna to exchange knowing glances before releasing puffs of air and standing up along with Yamamoto. You two had a feeling this was not going to end well…

"Twenty points," the teacher exclaimed in a deadpanned tone, "you three will be getting extra homework for failing the test."

Tsuna groaned, dropping his head in defeat, while you, on the other hand, rubbed the back of your head and released a sheepish laugh. It's not like either of you two actually expected to _pass_. Everyone knew you two totally sucked at math, so this was to be expected. You honestly don't know why your teacher even bothered to relay your test results to the whole class when everyone already knew you two pretty much flunked. It was honestly just an act of public humiliation for you and Tsuna (which you suspected you should have probably gotten used to by now…ah well).

"Well, that's not surprising." Hana commented offhandedly, gazing at you and your sibling with a scrutinizing look.

This response seemed to anger Gokudera, causing the young male to slam both his hands onto his desk, startling pretty much everyone as he shot out of his seat and sent the brunette a rather spiteful glare. "Are you insulting the Tenth's and Princess' intelligence, you wench?" Gokudera snarled, baring his teeth at the rather stupefied woman.

"C-calm down, Gokudera-kun!" you rushed to ease the tension of your friend, placing a hand on his shoulder while trying your best to subdue his anger, "Hana didn't say anything like that."

"But she-!" Gokudera insisted, only to fall silent when he locked gazes with you. Everyone held their breath as they watched the silent interaction between you and the Italian transfer student, the anxiety growing rather high before Gokudera finally relented and slumped back down into his seat with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest while shooting Hana one last malicious glare. Pleased with Gokudera's obedience, you swooped down and placed a tender kiss on his cheek as a sign of gratitude, resulting with a rather flustered expression from the young male which appeared to anger the young women of your class, while also giving Tsuna some turmoil due to the whole ordeal.

Deciding to try and somehow snag the attention of his class again, the teacher cleared his throat loudly before addressing you, Tsuna, and Yamamoto. "Your work needs to be submitted tomorrow. You must get all the answers correct or…"

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Who the **hell** does that bastard think he is?" Gokudera growled lowly, hovering close by your side as you gathered your things from your locker. Allowing your gentle gaze to fall upon the handsome silver-haired Mafioso, it was rather obvious that Gokudera was still riled up from what your teacher had said earlier. Closing your locker door with a sigh, you swung your satchel strap onto your shoulder before heading over to your school's entrance gate where Tsuna was currently greeting Shouichi.

"Shou-chan~!"

The red-head barely had any time to compose his self before you suddenly glomped the poor boy, causing Shouichi to laugh cheerfully at your enthusiasm for his arrival, returning your hug with equal vigor. Tsuna smiled brightly at the scene, memories of your childhood with Shouichi flitting though his mind. It was funny how despite the many years that had passed; your friendship with the young genius remained impenetrable. Tsuna laughed at the elated looks featured on both yours and Shouichi's faces, pleased that there was a rather nostalgic moment in his chaotic day.

"Well, shall we head home then?" Shouichi suggested with a grin, once you had (finally) released him from one of your infamous bear hugs.

Gokudera snorted in response, his eyes narrowing into an irritated glare once he realized that 'the nerd' would be accompanying your group on your trek home this afternoon. "Che, just try and keep up," Gokudera growled, snatching a hold of your wrist and then proceeded to begin the walk home while guiding you along the way, earning a rather perplexed look from Shouichi after he had come to the realization that your typical "trio" was now cancelled out due to the new arrival.

Tsuna sputtered in surprise, watching Gokudera lead you away. Feeling a hot bubble of jealously slowly forming once again in his abdomen, Tsuna pushed his bitter thoughts aside to rush after you, not wanting to remain alone without your presence a moment longer. Shouichi quickly followed after Tsuna, the idea of being left alone becoming a bit of a downer.

About ten minutes into your walk, you couldn't help but feel a little wary with all of the tension surrounding your little group. Tsuna had managed to interfere with Gokudera's hold on you somewhere along the way. Now occupying your hand with his own, Tsuna held it firmly in his grasp, eyeing your family's subordinate with unease. Meanwhile, Gokudera settled for traveling _extremely_ close by your side, to the point where you could literally feel the heat emitting from his body. His pale olive eyes were currently glaring daggers at Shouichi, and when he wasn't giving your BFF the third-degree, his eyes were sweeping the area consistently as though he were expecting someone to jump you four any second now. As for Shouichi, well, he was clearly disappointed by the prospect that there would be "four" of you now instead of the original "three amigos".

Deciding that he'd had enough of the awkward silence amongst your group, Shouichi sparked up a conversation. "So, Tsuna, Tsuya, how'd the test go for you guys?"

Ka-THUMP

"Ah! Tenth! Princess!" Gokudera yelped, fussing over your wellbeing when the two of you had suddenly managed to perform a face-plant after hearing Shouichi's question.

Shouichi blinked in surprise. "Wow. That bad, eh?"

"Whoa~!" you yelped in surprise, feeling yourself instantly being lifted from the asphalt in a swift manner, only to find yourself gazing into pale olive orbs that were currently glazed over with worry. Allowing a smile to grace your lips, you were amused to find that your small action had managed to cause Gokudera to mirror your features. The silver-haired Mafioso grinned brightly at you (and you honestly could've sworn that there were yellow sparkles glistening around his form at one point). "You can put me down now, Gokudera-kun," you giggled, your eyes shining with mirth.

Gokudera reluctantly released you from his hold, surveying your small form for any signs of injury, earning himself an appreciative look from you in reply. Tsuna brushed his hands over his uniform, dusting the dirt from his clothing after the two of you had met the ground (quite literally). Allowing his mocha eyes to observe the interactions between you and Gokudera, a small huff managed to escape the boy's lips as he then responded to Shouichi's earlier question.

"We totally bombed it (not like that's anything new, anyway)," Tsuna sighed, gently brushing his hand against your own to capture it in his hold yet again as he then began the trek home, "We have to get all the questions right, or we fail."

Shouichi gave your brother a sympathetic smile, knowing full well how the two of you had to struggle far more than others when it came to math.

"Che, that bastard didn't know what the hell he was talking about," Gokudera seethed, apparently still sore from how your teacher had given you and Tsuna a hard time during the remainder of your class. Gokudera couldn't help but feel _obligated_ to trip the man down the stairs when your group began to make its way towards the locker rooms (needless to say, you would probably have a substitute tomorrow – oh joy). While gaining some self satisfaction from the whole ordeal, Gokudera had been oblivious to the withering glare being sent his way by a certain Prefect, which then entitled you and Tsuna to hastily lead the silver-haired Mafioso away before a bloody battle would ensue.

"Why does math have to be so hard?" you whined childishly, earning chuckles from Tsuna and Shouichi in response due to your typical reactions.

Gokudera immediately began his quest to cheer you up, waving his arms enthusiastically while a large grin graced his features. "Don't worry, Princess! It's not so hard once you know the basics. I'll teach you the formulas and you'll pull through with flying colors!"

Your subordinate's antics had a positive effect on your mood, instantly brining a smile to your face. Gokudera couldn't help but feel slightly flustered when you shot an adoring look his way. It was clear that you held nothing but the utmost respect for him, and you even treasured your friendship as though it were a priceless artifact, only adding to Gokudera's zeal for you. He couldn't keep that silly grin from surfacing, his cheeks alighting with a small blush. Gokudera was determined to spend more time with you, perhaps even impress with you his knowledge while tutoring you, and maybe even scoring another compliment in the process. The last thought left Gokudera feeling giddy with the idea of you praising him for his work (again). Clenching his right hand into a fist, Gokudera silently vowed that he would impress you during your study session, his pale olive eyes burning brightly with determination at the mere thought.

Tsuna suddenly yelped in surprise when a hand lightly tapped his shoulder in order to gain his attention. Everyone paused, curiously turning around (whereas Gokudera immediately spun around to see if there was any danger), your group was caught off guard to see a rather cheerful Yamamoto waving to you guys in greeting.

Gokudera was NOT pleased. "What the **hell** are you doing here, baseball freak? Are you _stalking_ us?"

Yamamoto laughed breezily, brushing Gokudera's accusation aside without a second thought. Allowing his cheerful gaze to fall on you and Tsuna, Yamamoto shot you two a grin. "Yo! Do you want to do the homework together? It'll be a lot faster with three people than with one."

"Eh?" Tsuna wasn't thrilled that another person wanted to join your study session. It originally started out with just you two and Shouichi, but then Gokudera had got thrown into the mix (or more like he put himself there), and now Yamamoto wanted in? What began as a normal get together with your childhood friend had now morphed into a wacky gathering. Wanting nothing more than to decline, Tsuna was beat to the punch when Gokudera decided to be the one to turn down Baseball Captain's offer.

"We already have enough people in our study group! We don't need your stupidity slowing us down!" Gokudera snapped irritably, glaring daggers at the oblivious male before him.

Yamamoto didn't seem fazed by Gokudera's snarky reply. "Ah? You're gonna help us out, Gokudera? That's awfully nice of you! The more the merrier."

Gokudera blanched at Yamamoto's naiveté. "Are you _deaf!_"

"Then do it at our house."

Everyone paused, surprised by the sound of Reborn's voice, yet oddly enough, the infant was nowhere in sight. You and Tsuna exchanged knowing glances, wondering silently to yourselves what Reborn could possibly be devising right now. That hitman _always_ had some absurd idea stored away for some weird and bizarre attempt to mold you two into Mafia material. What could he gain from a study session at your house with your friends? This does not bode well for you.

After another minute or two of unsuccessful attempts to locate Reborn, the young child's voice called out to you from the potted shrubs located to your left. "I'm here."

"…Where's _'here'_, exactly?" Shouichi voiced in a rather irritated tone as you all stared at the potted shrubs.

As if to answer the red-head's question, the shrub on the far right suddenly lifted itself out of the dirt and spun around, startling you all as Reborn's chubby face greeted you from his 'disguise'. Tsuna yelped, completely thrown off by your hitman's odd appearance while you and Shouichi blanched at the ridiculous sight. Gokudera blinked in surprise, eyeing Reborn with a curious expression on his face. Lastly, Yamamoto was silent for a moment, merely staring at the infant who was now removing the costume from his small form. A grin then graced Yamamoto's features as he cheerfully greeted Reborn with his typical "Yo!".

"Ciaossu," Reborn greeted casually, giving a small wave.

Tsuna snapped out of his stupor to send the hitman a rather withering glare. "Why are you choosing where we should do our homework?"

Reborn arched a brow, shooting Tsuna one of his infamous 'do-you-really-have-to-ask' looks. "Because I'm your tutor," Reborn responded airily, acting as though it was blatantly obvious.

Yamamoto apparently got a kick out of Reborn's response, causing the young male to burst into a bout of cheerful laughter. "Tsuna, Tsuya, you guys have a great tutor!" Yamamoto exclaimed with a bright grin, oblivious to the heated glare sent his way by Gokudera due to his lighthearted attitude.

_*Yamamoto thinks it's a joke again…*_ you and Tsuna thought exasperatedly to yourselves with a sweatdrop.

Shouichi released a puff of air. _*How can he think this is just a game? Does he honestly not notice the dangers we've had to face these past few days? Unbelievable.*_

"Che! You really are an idiot!" Gokudera seethed bitterly, gritting his teeth while shooting Yamamoto a disproving glare. His response had suddenly gained Reborn's attention, causing the young child to turn his calculating gaze to your family's subordinate.

"I expect you to show them the ropes, Gokudera," Reborn informed the young rebellious teen, "They're not very bright, so they need all the help they can get."

You and Tsuna shot Reborn irritated glares, knowing full well that he had directed that comment at the two of you. Shouichi felt his right eye twitch in annoyance, wondering silently to himself if Reborn was still trying to get him to crack by insulting his intelligence. Well, no matter. He'd just have to suck it up and take all the witty remarks that darn hitman threw his way. After all, this was merely a game to see how long he'd last, and Shouichi intended to see the game through until the bitter end.

To say Gokudera had been caught off guard by Reborn's comment would be an understatement. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride by the fact that Reborn was actually counting on him to get the job done by tutoring your group. Allowing his gaze to sneak a brief glance at you, Gokudera could feel his cheeks heat up at the thought of impressing you during the session. Shaking his head to focus on Reborn's earlier comment, Gokudera reverently nodded his head, his eyes flashing with determination. "You can count on me, Reborn-san!"

The hitman allowed a smirk to grace his features, his steely gaze locking on both yours and Tsuna's forms, sending shivers down your spine from having to witness such a…disturbing look.

_*He's bdefinitely/b up to something.*_ the two of you thought in unison.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Ah, Tsu-kun, Tsu-chan! Welcome home!" your mother greeted you and your sibling as you two walked in through the front door, closely followed by Shouichi and Gokudera. Yamamoto had informed your group that he would just meet up with you guys at your house after dropping his stuff of at home and changing his attire. So for now, it was just the four of you.

"Hey mom," you and Tsuna chorused together, slipping your satchels off of your shoulders and allowing the bags to drop to the floor with an audible 'thud'. Neither of you wanted to deal with the material located inside, so you both ditched the heavy bags and went about your daily routine, unfazed by the curious look your mother sent your way.

"Ah, I see you brought your friends over," Nana noted in delight, allowing her bright eyes to land on a flustered Gokudera and a sheepish Shouichi.

"S-sorry for intruding!" Gokudera apologized, a light blush staining his handsome features.

Nana smiled at the silver-haired teen's politeness. "Nonsense! It's always a pleasure to have you two over," Nana replied happily, her gaze then falling on Shouichi, "besides, it's not unusual for my future son-in-law to drop by for a visit, right, Shou-chan?"

Shouichi instantly froze, his blood suddenly feeling like ice when he realized that Gokudera's irritation for him had now completely dispersed to be replaced with pure, raw hatred. The withering glare that was currently burning a hole in the side of his head was enough to inform Shouichi that Gokudera now had it out for the poor red-head. Ugh. As if he didn't have enough things to worry about – now he had a jealous subordinate ready to make his life a living hell (as if Reborn wasn't already on the case).

"Mom, how many times do I have to tell you, Shou-chan and I are just _friends!_" you exclaimed in an exasperated tone, shooting her a look after having heard her accusation.

"Yeah, they're just _friends_. Ain't that right,_ Shou-chan?_" Gokudera growled, his eyes narrowed into a devious glare as though he were simply 'egging' Shouichi to say that it wasn't so.

Shouichi gulped, furiously shaking his head 'no' while waving his hands in front of himself to help aid in his denial. "T-t-that's right! T-Tsuya and I are just friends!" the poor boy stuttered, wanting nothing more than to fade away into oblivion due to the scathing look that was being sent his way by an _extremely_ pissed off subordinate.

"Honestly, mom. How many times have we been over this?" Tsuna sighed, shaking his head at your mother's obvious attempts to hook you and him up with your future spouses.

"Oh?" Nana blinked in surprise, before shrugging it off and reaching into the front pocket on her apron to pull out a colorful card. "By the way, Tsu-chan, your friend sent you another postcard."

In a matter of seconds you were by your mother's side with the postcard in hand, your eyes eagerly scanning the content while Tsuna laughed at your typical behavior. "We'll meet you upstairs, Tsu~" your brother called with a grin, beginning his trek upstairs with Shouichi following him. Gokudera strayed behind another moment, silently debating with himself on whether to follow the Tenth or to remain with you. His answer became obvious when the young male slowly made his way over to your side.

You blinked in surprise when you felt Gokudera's presence by your side, causing you to cast a brief glance to your left to see that Gokudera was giving you a sheepish grin. Smiling brightly at your subordinate, you handed him your postcard, eliciting a surprised expression from Gokudera in reply, but you merely waved that aside by encouraging him to read your message from your friend. Gokudera reluctantly gave in, finally allowing his eyes to fall upon the content of your postcard.

_Dear Tsuya~_

_How've ya been? It's been pretty crazy over here, and me falling down the stairs (again) hasn't helped any matters (if anything, it's only caused me more bruising). But enough about that! I wanted to let you know that I finally tried giving my earlier idea of entering a building through a window a go~ _

…

_I ended up falling out of the tree, so that plan was an epic failure. However, I __**SHALL**__ prevail! After all, that whacky psycho you told me about was able to do it, so I should be able to be all stealthy like a ninja too (eventually)!_

_Did you know that one in every 29 people is 50 percent more likely to have an accident than the other 28? The conclusions were reached after researchers' analyzed data collected in 79 different studies on 147,000 people in 15 countries. Can you believe my accident prone self contributes to this? Awesome, am I right?_

_ACK! Gotta go, rampant turtle on the loose! I'll write to you again when I get the chance, so take care and watch out for the blonde freak! _

_Your __**epic**__ friend,_

_The Panda _

Gokudera arched a brow, wondering if your friend was currently in the psycho ward. The letter had made absolutely _no_ sense to the young Mafioso, and he couldn't help but wonder how a person such as yourself had managed to come across such a…_unique_ individual. Besides, Gokudera thought to his self, who would possibly name themselves 'the Panda', anyway? Giving a small roll of his eyes, Gokudera flipped the post card over, expecting the image to be something odd, yet to his surprise, Gokudera felt his jaw drop when he found himself gazing at an image shot from Italy, his hometown.

"Oh lord…" Gokudera muttered under his breath, mortified that person had actually grown up where he lived. Had they bumped into each other at some point? Gokudera racked his brain, trying his best to recall ever meeting this hyper person. Nothing seemed to click (much to Gokudera's relief). Releasing a small sigh, Gokudera handed you back your postcard, silently observing your cheerful demeanor as you re-read the contents of your card.

"Sounds like Panda-onee-chan is the same as ever," you commented brightly, easily gaining your subordinate's attention, "I didn't think that she would actually try to enter a building through a window, though. I kinda thought she was joshing with me, but I guess she was dead serious about that. I'll have to be careful not to put any more insane ideas into that woman's head. Though, in my defense, she was kinda insane to begin with," you trailed off on cheerful note, causing Gokudera to nearly perform a face-plant after hearing more about your penpal.

Turning around, you bounded over to the staircase leading to the upper level of your house, only to pause a moment later when you realized that Gokudera wasn't following. Allowing your gaze to drift over towards the young man who appeared to be snapping out of some kind of stupor, you shot him a bright smile, completely oblivious to the blush staining his face due to your adorable actions. "You coming, Gokudera-kun?"

"C-coming!" Gokudera yelped, rushing after you as you bounded up the stairs, leaving behind a rather curious mother as she had observed the interactions between you two.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Another postcard for your collection?" Tsuna mused, watching you carefully tape your latest treasure amongst the previous ones sent to you by your dear penpal, taking up a good proportion of the room's wall located by your bedroom door. "Honestly, I wonder how many of 'em you can fit up there," Tsuna chuckled, his laughter increasing when you had informed him that after already posting up more than over a hundred postcards, you were positive you could easily add that many, if not, more.

Gokudera could only gap at the sight of yours and Tsuna's room. Sure, he's been here only once before, but to be completely honest, he couldn't recall much of that memory, seeing as how he was knocked out the instant he had seen his older sister occupying your room. Yet, now that he was able to revisit without any interruptions, Gokudera couldn't help but allow his gaze to wander the contents of yours and Tsuna's bedroom.

Photographs of you and Tsuna as children littered your walls, pretty much hiding the dull white paint of the interior behind the bright content of the images revealing your childhood. Gokudera found himself walking closer to get a better look at the priceless photographs, his eyes scanning over the various scenes of you and Tsuna in your toddler years. A small chuckle had managed to escape the silver-haired Mafioso's lips when he noticed in one particular picture, that your three-year-old self was currently latched onto Tsuna. The two of you were grinning broadly at the camera, creating the most adorable scene Gokudera had ever managed to come across.

The sight of a familiar red-head caught Gokudera's attention, causing his eyes to glide over to the next image located on the right where Shouichi's five-year-old self was smiling bashfully at the camera. Accompanied on either side of the boy was you and Tsuna. The two of you had your arms slung around Shouichi in a possessive hug with bright smiles on your features. Gokudera couldn't help but feel his right eye twitch in annoyance. How was it that this _nerd_ had been privileged enough to have known both you and Tsuna through his younger years? It wasn't fair. Gokudera's gaze lingered over the cheerful images of your childhood with Shouichi, his stomach slowly beginning to bubble with a torrid emotion that had him silently wishing that he had been the one lucky enough to have known you and Tsuna so long ago.

"Ah, I can't believe you still have this old thing!" Shouichi's comment had managed to capture Gokudera's attention, breaking him from his thoughts as he turned his head to gaze in question at the red-head.

"Hey, hey! Easy with that~" you yelped, trying your best to ignore the teasing look sent your way by your dear friend.

Gokudera ventured closer to see what all the commotion was about. He had managed to catch sight of a book held in Shouichi's grasp, causing Gokudera to furrow his brows in thought as he tried to read the title off of the hardcover. _*…Aladdin?*_

Shouichi gently turned the book over in his hold, opening your treasured story so that he could flip through the pages, briefly glancing over its content and happily coming to the realization that the book was in mint condition. "I can't believe you've kept this in such great condition, Tsuya," Shouichi noted brightly, his eyes glistening with mirth as he gently closed the book, "considering the fact that I gave this to you about nine years ago."

"She's a sucker for fairytales," Tsuna commented in a teasing tone, eyeing you with a playful smirk on his features, "I remember when she kept telling dad that she was gonna marry a prince one day and live happily ever after."

You shot your brother an exasperated look. "You know, for a twin, you don't keep our secrets confidential."

Tsuna laughed merrily at your annoyance, placing his hand atop of your head and ruffling your hair in an affectionate manner. "Aw, I think it's cute, Tsu~" Tsuna teased, a mischievous grin appearing on his features, immediately causing you to become wary at your brother's unusual behavior, "besides~ didn't you also tell me that you wanted to have twins and then name them after Disney characters?"

Gokudera's jaw dropped after hearing Tsuna's last sentence, his face immediately heating up as he bit his bit tongue to keep himself from sputtering in embarrassment. Meanwhile, you had currently tackled Tsuna to the ground, engaging in a 'friendly' wrestling match as the two of you rolled around on the floor, trying to pin the other down to claim a victory. Shouichi laughed at your typical antics, a smile appearing on lips as he watched you and Tsuna 'argue'. Well, arguing from _your_ part, really. Tsuna was merely laughing at your aggravation from him spouting your dreams as a child.

"What part of the first amendment in twin language do you **not** understand?" you reprimanded your sibling with an irk mark, only resulting in Tsuna chuckling at your anger, making a comment on how 'adorable' it was when you were upset, "Darn it Tsuna!" you flipped your twin over so that you were straddling the boy, holding his arms down so that you could prevent further movement. "Haha! Take that~!"

Tsuna didn't appear to be too fazed by you having 'won' the match, in fact, he merely grinned at you in reply, causing you to falter for a moment, which then lead to your downfall. "Whoa!" you barely had time to register what was happening. One minute you were on top of Tsuna, and the next you were the one being pinned to the ground with Tsuna straddling your hips and gazing down at you with a smug expression on his features. "Correction~ **I** win."

"…You're so mean, Nii-san," you whined childishly, slightly peeved from having lost the battle.

"All's fair in love and war, sis~" Tsuna replied with a grin, rolling off of you so that he was now located by your side.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," you huffed, waving your right hand back and forth in a dismissive manner. "I don't know about you, but I'm gonna change into a more comfortable attire," you began, only to trail of when you and Tsuna exchanged mischievous looks.

Gokudera and Shouichi barely had any time to process what was happening when you and Tsuna suddenly rushed past them, racing over to your shared dresser as you two then began to mercilessly rummage through the drawers, blindly grabbing some clothes in your rush before taking off for the washroom, your laughter filling the air as you and Tsuna disappeared around the corner, leaving behind your slightly perplexed friends.

You and Tsuna playfully rammed into each other while scrambling towards the washroom. The two of you reached the room at the same time, becoming jammed for a moment in the doorway which only managed to increase your bubbly laughter as you then proceeded to lightly shove Tsuna back so you could stumble in first. Tsuna chuckled at your playful demeanor as his hand reached behind him and grasped a hold of the doorknob and then proceeded to slam the door shut. "Real mature, Tsu~" Tsuna mused, his mocha eyes glistening with mirth as he then ducked to avoid your skirt being chucked his way.

"Oh shut up!" you laughed, pulling on a pair of sweatpants.

Tsuna snorted playfully, unbuckling his belt and allowing his pants to fall to his ankles, kicking the offending uniform away from his form before pulling on an identical pair of sweatpants. Tsuna's hands drifted over towards his tie, happily undoing the rather restricting piece of fabric while his eyes watched you effortlessly lift your white shirt from your torso, tossing it uncaringly to the side. Tsuna arched a brow, his hands now drifting lower to undo the buttons to his own shirt as he watched you stretch your arms high above your head in a graceful manner. It didn't take long for your twin to notice that you were lacking a shirt to change into. Tsuna just couldn't keep the smirk from appearing on his lips at your rather aloof manner to the fact that you had no top to wear.

"Ne, looks like you forgot something, Tsu~" your brother informed you in a teasing tone.

"Don't be silly," you responded airily, reaching over to your sibling's pile of clothing to grab a hold of his favorite light green shirt with his lucky number '27' stitched onto the fabric. Tsuna could only gap at you, watching you slip his clothing over your head with a hum of satisfaction, your eyes shining brightly while gazing at your brother with a look that said 'you-should-know-better-by-now'.

Tsuna could feel his heart swell with warmth as a light blush covered his face due to your typical antics. Releasing a puff of air, Tsuna chuckled, shrugging his uniform shirt off while running a hand through his brown locks. "I get it, I get it," Tsuna muttered under his breath, a smile gracing his features as he walked over to your side and lifted his right hand to grasp a hold of the red ribbon holding your hair back in a ponytail, gently tugging the ribbon so that it uncoiled, allowing your silky hair to fall gracefully along your shoulders. Tsuna released the ribbon from his hold to run a hand through your hair, shooting you a grin which in turn elicited a similar reaction from you. Leaning closer to place a tender kiss on your cheek, Tsuna couldn't keep the laugh from escaping his lips when you suddenly retaliated by tackling him into a hug.

"Come on, Tsu," Tsuna chuckled, placing one last kiss on your forehead before gently tugging you towards the door, "unless you've already forgotten, I'm still in need of a shirt."

"Nah, I haven't forgotten," you responded brightly, following your beloved twin as Tsuna opened the door and led you down the hall, "I'm merely just enjoying the view~"

Tsuna halted in his tracks, sputtering in disbelief. A dark blush then stained his cheeks, much to Tsuna's chagrin, which only appeared to add to his overall zeal of absolute "cuteness", causing you to giggle in delight at your brother's antics for becoming embarrassed over the simplest of things. As much as you loved Tsuna to bits, you just couldn't resist teasing him like this. He would always gain the most adorable expressions when embarrassed, so you would often push his buttons at home to see if you could elicit such a reaction from him.

"Badum~!" you happily skipped back into your bedroom, immediately drawing attention to yourself from the two young men occupying it. Shouichi snickered at your attire, knowing full well that you were adorning Tsuna's clothing due to how baggy the fabric was against your tiny form. Gokudera felt his face heat up, his heart skipping a beat when he realized that he was able to see you in clothing other than your typical high school uniform. It was obvious you were extremely comfortable in his and Shouichi's presence and you didn't seem to bother with being formal, which in a way, made Gokudera feel extremely happy by the fact that you felt so content around him.

Tsuna then made his appearance, ignoring the amused snickers from your red-headed childhood friend when he had managed to catch sight of the shirtless twin. Making his way over to the dresser, Tsuna snatched the first shirt he saw and slipped it over his body, trying his best to dismiss the amused grins you and Shouichi shot his way. "Don't even start…" Tsuna warned, sending you a weak glare that was clearly bypassed as you then proceeded to tease your sibling.

"Ah, Nii-san~ I always knew you liked that shirt!" you giggled, smiling brightly at your exasperated twin. Tsuna could only shake his head at your childishness. Then again, it was probably his fault for having picked the shirt in the first place, anyway.

Shouichi chuckled, his eyes scanning the article of clothing that was apparently drawing so much attention. Tsuna was currently wearing a dark blue navy shirt with white font placed directly in the front reading "got cookie?". Accompanying the quote on the right was none other than the head of the infamous Cookie Monster. Shouichi had recalled you giving this as a gag gift to your beloved sibling on your 12th birthday, and ironically, Tsuna continued to don the shirt despite the years that had passed. He apparently still had an attachment to the gift, Shouichi noted to himself with a smile. His green eyes drifted over to your small form, his smile increasing in size when he noticed how delighted you were that Tsuna was wearing 'that' shirt. Releasing one last chuckle, Shouichi softly shook his head, his heart swelling slightly as he simply watched yours and Tsuna's interactions with one another.

"Yo~"

The room fell silent when Yamamoto's voice suddenly called out, causing everyone's heads to turn to the entry way of your room to see the Baseball Captain waving merrily to your group. Gokudera snorted, his eyes narrowing at the newcomer in distaste as you and Tsuna greeted the young man.

Yamamoto scanned the contents of your bedroom, obviously intrigued by the unique décor that you and your brother had chosen and added over the years. "Hmm? So this is Tsuna's and Tsuya's room."

"Well, make yourself at home," Reborn insisted from his comfortable leather chair located by yours and Tsuna's bed. His comment had managed to earn some rather exasperated looks from you and Tsuna in return, considering the fact that this was YOUR bedroom, and yet, Reborn acted as though he owned the place (and knowing him, he probably thought he did).

"Then I'll go ahead," Yamamoto said cheerfully, stepping into the room.

You and Tsuna stared on in disbelief. _*Um…this is OUR room.*_

"All right, everyone. Enough idle chitchat, it's time to study," Reborn interrupted, gesturing towards the coffee table located in the center of your room.

"Since when did he become our father?" Tsuna grumbled bitterly under his breath, taking a seat next to you as you two situated yourselves at the table. You shot your brother a sympathetic smile, grasping his hand in your own and giving it a sentimental squeeze. Your action seemed to calm Tsuna, causing the young man to release a small sigh before returning the affectionate gesture.

Gokudera hastily took the seat on your left, shooting Shouichi and Yamamoto a warning glare as the two males occupied the last two available seats. Various textbooks were laid out across the tabletop, causing you and Tsuna to share silent looks of dread before returning your attention back to the matter at hand. Gokudera was eager to begin the lesson, instantly grabbing the textbook entitled _The Basics of Algebra_. Flipping the book open and skimming through the pages masterfully, Gokudera located the lesson you were currently struggling with.

"Ah~ Chapter 3: Solving Linear Equations."

Yup, you were as good as doomed you noted at this point, your head instantly spinning the moment Gokudera began to eagerly list off the practice equations.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

_*I don't think my brain can take much more of this!*_ you thought to yourself in exasperation, wanting nothing more than to bang your head on your tabletop. Allowing your tired eyes to glance to your right, you noticed that Tsuna appeared as distressed as you were. The two of you were clearly struggling to try and grasp the basics, but it was obvious that this just wasn't your forte. Maybe it was due to your dyslexia, that would explain a lot, but either way, Reborn refused to ease up on you and your beloved twin, nearly drawing you two to your breaking point.

Holding in a sigh, your tired mocha eyes trailed back to Gokudera. The young male had showed a tremendous amount of patience when it came to trying to tutor you, and you had to admit that you were really impressed with how gentle Gokudera was being. The young Mafioso refused to give up on you and was constantly coming up with different examples to help you understand the material. Sure, you were still struggling through most of the problems, but with Gokudera's help, you had managed to successfully complete a few of the equations listed on your homework sheet – that was a feat in itself.

A small grin managed to make its way onto your features as you beamed at your faithful subordinate. "This is really helping a lot. You're really smart, Gokudera-kun~!"

"Surprisingly," Yamamoto teased playfully, earning a rather heated glare from the young Mafioso.

Gokudera's earlier feelings of butterflies in his stomach due to your sincere compliment had vanished the moment Yamamoto had spoken up, causing Gokudera to snarl viciously at the Baseball Captain. "Shut up! If it is to train the Tenth and Princess to become great Mafia bosses, Gokudera Hayato will do _anything!_"

"Can't we just train them to pass high school like _normal_ students?" Shouichi piped up, instantly gaining Gokudera's undivided attention as the Italian then began to sneer at your childhood friend, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"No one asked you, nerd!" Gokudera spat, his hands slamming down onto the table as he leaned forward.

"L-l-let's not argue now, guys," Tsuna stammered nervously, trying his best to break up the tension that had just filled the room.

Gokudera snorted angrily in reply, reluctantly leaning back before resuming his previous position of hovering close by your side, occasionally shooting Shouichi death glares that had the red-head shivering inwardly at the rather threatening sight. The rather odd silence was soon broken when the sound of a pencil furiously jotting down notes directed everyone's attention to Yamamoto. The Baseball Captain was currently flying through the problems without a hitch, his eyes completely focused on the sheet of paper in front of him. It was a rather rare sight to see Yamamoto so dedicated when it came to something other than his beloved sport.

"Wow!" you and Tsuna both commented in unison, your jaws dropping at the sight of Yamamoto answering each and every equation with ease.

Immediately being drawn out of his thoughts by yours and Tsuna's awed responses, Yamamoto curiously peered up at your faces, a hearty laugh leaving his lips when he caught sight of your astonished expressions. "Once I read the textbook, I found out it was pretty easy," Yamamoto informed you and Tsuna cheerfully with a large grin, earning some perplexed looks from you and your twin in return.

Gokudera seethed silently, snatching Yamamoto's worksheet away so that he could inspect the answers. His hard gaze hastily scanned through the problems, his irritation level rising tremendously to an unimaginable degree when he begrudgingly came to the conclusion that the baseball freak wasn't as dense as he had originally thought. Gritting his teeth, Gokudera released a low hiss to express his displeasure. How the **HELL** was this _moron_ able to solve these equations so easily? The freak should've been struggling to try and grasp the basics, and yet, he was flying through the lesson with such ease! Slamming the worksheet back onto the table, Gokudera crossed his arms over his chest and shot the young Baseball Captain an icy glare.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Shouichi reached over the table to grasp Yamamoto's worksheet. Allowing his eyes to scan the material, Shouichi found himself caught by surprise when he suddenly realized that Yamamoto had successfully managed to answer each equation flawlessly. "I-it's right," your red-headed friend exclaimed, causing you and Tsuna to nearly perform a face-plant. Who would've thought that behind that mask of naiveté, there was actually a brain!

_*His grades are only bad because he's busy with baseball.*_ You and Tsuna thought exasperatedly, exchanging identical looks with one another.

Picking up his worksheet, Yamamoto continued to smile brightly, "I didn't manage to get question seven, though."

This bit of news apparently managed to excite Gokudera to no end. The young Mafioso burst into a fit of laughter, banging his right fist onto the tabletop repeatedly. "You're still an idiot, Yamamoto!" Gokudera taunted cheerfully, his attention then turning towards you and Tsuna. "Right, Tenth? Princess?"

Shouichi sweatdropped at the sudden mortified look that flashed across Gokudera's face when he managed to catch sight of the gloomy atmosphere surrounding you and your sibling. It was obvious that neither you nor Tsuna were able to understand most of the homework material, and the reminder instantly drowned you both in self pity as the two of you began to grumble under your breaths about how irritating it was.

"We don't really care for number seven," Tsuna noted aloud in distaste, "we still don't even get half this stuff."

"Uh…" Gokudera wanted to bash his head against the table. He completely forgot that you and Tsuna were currently struggling with this assignment. The thought of Yamamoto being unable to solve question seven had literally overjoyed Gokudera to no end at the prospect that the Baseball Freak was unsuccessful in his quest to finish his homework. Well, that joy was short lived, Gokudera thought to himself in exasperation as he desperately tried to think of a solution to cheer you up. Deciding that he could no longer bear to see you so frustrated, Gokudera began to hastily wave his hands back and forth, instantly gaining your attention as he then began to try and lift your spirits. "Don't worry about it, Princess! Everyone has a different level when it comes to math. We just need to take it nice and slow until you feel comfortable with the material. There's nothing wrong with that!"

"Really?" you asked hopefully.

Gokudera beamed brightly at your adorable expression, a light blush dusting across his cheeks. His heart swelled up with joy by the fact that you took his words so easily to heart. "Of course~!" Gokudera exclaimed with a grin, instantly bringing a smile to your face which only seemed to please your silver-haired Mafioso further.

Tsuna's right eye twitched in annoyance as he watched you and Gokudera interact. Begrudgingly turning his attention to his worksheet in hand, Tsuna began to read question seven aloud in an attempt to interrupt your 'moment' with Gokudera. "If you had a stack of 100 sheets of 11.5cm papers; that are dropped together from a height of three meters, prove that when they fall to the ground, the stack will not fall apart."

S-I-L-E-N-C-E

"Well, that's completely illogical," Shouichi stated in a bewildered tone, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen over your group.

Gokudera picked up your worksheet, his eyes scanning over question seven. "What kind of question is this? This has absolutely _nothing_ to do with algebra!"

Before anyone else could have a word, your bedroom door suddenly flew open, instantly causing everyone's attention to be directed to your bedroom's entryway where the crazy girl you and Tsuna had met earlier this morning stood firmly in place with a plate of refreshments in hand. You nearly blanched at the sight of Haru in your home, but the oddest part was that she was currently wearing a purple bandana that was wrapped so oddly around her head.

_*Oh say it isn't so!*_ you thought anxiously to yourself, eyeing the odd girl warily.

Gokudera narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the new arrival. Your sudden tense form had not gone by unnoticed. Clearly this whack-job made you uncomfortable; Gokudera noted bitterly to himself, his hands twitching as they subconsciously began to lower to where his dynamite was concealed within his jeans' pockets. He wanted nothing more than to blow this intruder away, but his vow to become a better man for you prevented Gokudera from acting rashly, causing the young man to release a low, irritated growl as he merely resorted to giving the intruder the evil eye.

Shouichi didn't even bother to care when he suddenly smacked his head against the tabletop, muttering to himself on how there was never going to be another normal day in your lives so long as these weirdos continued to keep showing up at random. Was it really too much to ask for just _one_ normal study session with his childhood friends, huh? Was it! Shouichi decided it was best not to ask the obvious when he had managed to lock gazes with Reborn. Screw it. Your lives had been turned upside down the moment this spawn of the devil had shown up at your doorstep. Ugh!

"H-huh? Why are you here?" Tsuna asked your new guest in a mortified tone.

Haru narrowed here eyes into a glare, staring at your twin as though he wasn't worth her time, earning a warning growl from you as you shifted slightly in your seat, ready to knock this girl's lights out if she even _dared_ to insult your beloved Tsuna _once._

"I'm making sure that there are no bad influences around Reborn-chan!" Haru retorted.

"Was it really necessary for you to stalk us to our own home and dress up like _that?_" you mocked irritably, crossing your arms over your chest while staring Haru down, causing her to shift nervously on her feet due to your harsh gaze.

Gokudera inched closer to you when he felt your obvious irritation towards this strange girl. The two of you continued to give Haru the evil eye as she began to hand out the glasses of juice that your mother had sent her up here with. As Haru made her way over to you, slowly and warily handing the glass your way, Gokudera intercepted by snatching the cold drink from her gasp and giving her a _look_ that had Haru scrambling to take cover behind Yamamoto. Snorting in content, Gokudera then turned his attention towards you, his previous attitude of 'bad-boy' instantly changing to 'loyal puppy'.

Gokudera proudly held out the refreshment for you, his eyes sparkling brightly. "Here you go, Princess~"

"Aww, thank you, Gokudera-kun~!" you praised your subordinate, happily accepting the beverage he offered with a smile. Gokudera flushed at your adorable expression, a silly grin suddenly appearing on his features as he dared to inch closer to you while you enjoyed your cold drink.

Releasing a refreshed sigh after consuming his drink, Yamamoto cast a quick glance over his shoulder at the brunette who was currently giving Tsuna the evil eye. "I didn't know you guys knew someone from Midori Middle School, Tsuna, Tsuya," Yamamoto addressed the two of you, shooting a curious glance your way.

Tsuna's brows furrowed together in confusion, however, before he was able to say a word, you interjected. "We **don't** know her. She's just some weird girl who won't stop stalking us," you huffed irritably, causing Gokudera to bristle slightly after hearing your comment.

"Isn't Midori Middle School that super-hard-to-get-into, prestigious girls' school?" Shouichi asked skeptically, eyeing Haru warily. It was really difficult for him to imagine that such an odd young woman would come from such a high-ranking institution.

"That's their uniform, right?" Yamamoto questioned, turning his gaze back to Haru.

"Yes," Haru acknowledged with a nod of her head, still keeping a bitter look on her face as she continued to give Tsuna the third-degree.

Growing tired of the young woman's cold treatment towards your beloved twin; you released a low growl before chucking your eraser at her, hitting her smack dab in the center of her forehead, causing the strange girl to cry out in surprise. "Oi, quit looking at my Nii-san like that!" you snapped irritably, glaring daggers at your 'target' while Gokudera snickered appreciatively by your side. Tsuna quickly brought a hand up to his mouth to hide his wide grin and attempt to try and stifle his giggles, whereas Shouichi hid his face behind his textbook, his muffled chuckles informing all that he got a good kick out of your reaction.

Oblivious to the whole ordeal that had just transpired, Yamamoto voiced his opinion. "She could probably solve the problem."

All of the amusement that had previously filled your room instantly vanished the moment Yamamoto made his suggestion. You and Tsuna shared identical, doubtful looks; meanwhile, Shouichi snapped his book shut and shot a weak glare Haru's way. Gokudera scowled, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring daggers at the brunette located behind Yamamoto. There was NO way she'd be able to solve this problem!

"I understand," Haru spoke up, eliciting bland expressions from you and Tsuna in reply, "then, if I am able to solve this problem, you will never get involved with Reborn-chan ever again."

This girl was really starting to rub you the wrong way. "That isn't something that you can decide for yourself!" you responded irritably, narrowing your eyes into a glare. Haru was obviously startled by your aggressive response, but refused to back down, which then caused Gokudera to release a low growl in warning.

Tsuna frowned, agreeing wholeheartedly with you. "That's right, it's something for Reborn to decide," your brother commented, turning his head to the right where Reborn was located. The infant was currently enjoying his refreshment, turning a deaf ear toward your group as he indulged in his cold beverage.

"Heh, sounds interesting," Gokudera mocked, snatching Yamamoto's worksheet off of the table to shove it in Haru's face, catching the young woman by surprise. Gokudera narrowed his eyes into a conceding glare, "If you think you can solve it, then go ahead!"

Tsuna was startled by Gokudera's sudden hostility towards the newcomer, "G-Gokudera-kun."

You, on the other hand, welcomed Gokudera's aggression full heartedly. Snickering quietly to yourself, you couldn't help but admire Gokudera for being able to voice his immediate dislike towards someone. It was no secret that you harbored ill feelings for the young woman whom had been stalking you and your sibling for quite some time now, and with her openly threatening your beloved twin, well, it left you feeling _anything_ but kind towards this whackjob. Lucky for you, Gokudera had immediately picked up on your resentment towards the newcomer, and you were more than pleased to watch the young Mafioso intimidate and harass Haru as though she had no right to be here (which she honestly didn't).

Gokudera huffed irritably, leaning back so that he was now in his previous position of sitting next to you. His rattled emotions were soon dispersed when he felt your hand gently brush against his, causing the young male's scowl to melt away into a rather curious expression. When Gokudera's eyes met yours, he couldn't keep the silly grin from appearing on his features when he noticed your pleased expression from his interference with Haru. Trying his best to ignore the pounding of his heart, Gokudera grasped your hand with his and gave it gentle squeeze, his heart inflating once he noticed the bright smile on your face. In the meantime, Shouichi tried his best to silently calm down your _extremely_ uptight sibling whom was flipping out after witnessing the rather affectionate interactions between you and your subordinate.

Haru scanned the problems listed on the paper, her eyes halting on problem number seven. It was silent for a moment, everyone observing her unusually quiet behavior as she silently read the equation to herself and then looked up with a firm gaze once she was done. "I've seen this problem before," she informed all of you, causing everyone's jaws to drop in sheer shock.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Ugh, Nii-saaaan~" you whined childishly from your slumped position in the corner of your room, "how can it take a person _three hours_ to solve an equation they've seen before?"

Tsuna released a puff of air, placing his chin in the palm of his hand while casting you a brief, loving glance before returning his attention to the young woman who was still glaring at the homework assignment and making some rather odd noises while she 'thought'. After the first half hour of waiting for Haru's answer, you had given up hope on her solving the equation and wandered over to the corner of your room where yours and Tsuna's manga collection was located. Tsuna remained seated at the coffee table along with Yamamoto and Shouichi. Gokudera had ditched the table the moment you had decided to leave, and like the loyal puppy he was, Gokudera had followed you to the corner of your room and was currently engrossed in the series of _Invader Zim._

"Just a little longer," Haru piped up, but Tsuna highly doubted that. That woman had been saying that over and over for the past three hours. It was quite obvious that this wasn't going anywhere, and sadly, she just wouldn't give up, resulting in everyone having to lounge around while waiting for her to simply admit defeat.

Fat chance of that happening now, Tsuna thought exasperatedly to his self, allowing his restless gaze to land on the hitman seated in the leather chair located by your bed. Reborn was currently polishing his handheld pistol, clearly unconcerned with whether or not Haru would be able to actually solve this problem. Tsuna gave a small snort, a bit miffed that the hitman hasn't already stepped in and called this whole ridiculous session off already.

"Almost there," Haru explained with a frown, causing Tsuna to bang his head on the tabletop.

This was going nowhere fast.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

It was now twilight and Haru had YET to solve the problem, resulting in you and Tsuna playing _Mario Kart_ against Gokudera and Shouichi. The four of you had played a tremendous amount of fun-filled rounds, each session growing more spastic and hilarious than the last. You and Tsuna couldn't help but laugh aloud in glee, the carefree playtime easing both yours and Tsuna's hectic nerves. It wasn't until Reborn suddenly chucked a book at the back of Tsuna's head that the carefree atmosphere was instantly destroyed.

"Stupid baby…" Tsuna grumbled bitterly, rubbing his sore head while taking his seat at the coffee table with you by his side.

"Why don't you just give up already?" you sighed, watching Haru with an uninterested expression on your features, "You've been at this for _four_ hours. If the answer didn't come to you by now, I highly doubt it will come to you at all!"

Your comment appeared to have snapped Haru out of her 'thought' process, causing the young woman to shoot you a nervous look before her eyes darted back to the sheet of paper in her hands. Three seconds passed when an elated look suddenly crossed Haru's features as she suddenly cried out in glee, "I can see it!"

"Oh really?" you asked airily, allowing your gaze to drift over to Reborn. The infant locked gazes with you, a smirk appearing on his lips as he delicately placed his chameleon, Leon, into his fedora and then proceeded to put the accessory back into place atop of his head. Holding his hand on the rim of his hat for a few moments, Reborn then pulled his fedora off and turned the hat in your direction to show you the inside, where oddly enough, Leon was no longer residing.

"He's not there," Reborn informed you with a smirk, causing your right eye to twitch. It was then that Leon's head popped out of Reborn's unruly hair, catching you by surprise while Reborn's smirk only grew wider at your naivety, "He's here~"

Leave it to Reborn to pull off some half-assed trick to sidetrack you from the current task at hand.

"I'm sorry!" Haru wailed, snapping you out of your stupor. "I couldn't do it!"

Gokudera was immediately on his feet, clenching his fists angrily while staring at Haru with a conceding glare. "What was that, 'I can solve it!' you lying girl!" Gokudera seethed, gesturing wildly to the unsolved worksheet laid out before the young woman.

"I never said I could _solve_ it!" Haru defended her self, "I said I could _see_ it!" the young woman then proceeded to hang her head in shame, "And you're calling me a liar."

"Well, basically, you _are,_" you retorted with a huff, shooting Haru a disproving glare as she then began to wail loudly at your harsh comment.

"You shouldn't make her cry," Yamamoto stated, directing his words towards Gokudera.

"Tch," Gokudera crossed his arms over his chest and shot the Baseball Captain an irritated glare, "there's nothing to cry about!" Gokudera responded heatedly, a bit miffed that Yamamoto was scolding him. Releasing a small snort, Gokudera slumped back into his seat, shooting Yamamoto one last glare before turning his attention towards you. Blinking in surprise, you watched Gokudera gaze at you with a torn look, silently asking you if he was in the wrong.

Waving your right hand back and forth in a dismissive manner, you shifted Gokudera's doubts aside. "Don't worry about it, Gokudera-kun," you reassured your subordinate with a smile, "you've done nothing wrong."

Pleased by your comment, Gokudera beamed brightly and dared to inch closer to you. This action did not go by unnoticed by Reborn, causing a devious smirk to appear on the hitman's lips, "You know, Gokudera~ a _true_ Mafioso treats a woman with respect. If you ever wish to become Tsuya's right-hand man, then you're going to have to treat _all_ women with respect."

All of the young men in the room blanched at Reborn's statement.

"Leave Gokudera-kun alone, Reborn," you chided with a frown, meeting the infant's gaze. The two of you began a silent staring contest, and it was quite obvious that Reborn was thoroughly enjoying this 'playful' banter of yours. Ugh! _Crazy_ baby.

"Um…my bad," Gokudera's voice broke you from your little staring contest with Reborn, causing you to turn your attention towards your subordinate who was currently trying his best to make amends with Haru. You watched on in awe as Gokudera awkwardly tried to stop the young woman's wails. It was clear to all that this was a difficult quest for the silver-haired Mafioso, but despite that fact, he continued to try his best to apologize even though he wasn't in the wrong, causing your respect for Gokudera to increase tremendously.

The sound of your bedroom window opening captured everyone's attention, resulting in all eyes directing their gazes towards the green curtains covering your window. A small white tail suddenly slid between the small gap in the curtains, sliding the right curtain aside to reveal Lambo's backside facing you all as the young infant boogied, oblivious to the fact that he had an audience.

"Who are you? I'm Lambo," you tried your best to stifle your giggles as Lambo sang aloud, shaking his rear to his offbeat tune before jumping into the air and wildly flailing his arms and legs in a rather hilarious manner, "You're Lambo. I'm Lambo~" the toddler chanted merrily, grasping a hold of your window sill and then sliding down your bedroom wall so that he was now safely on the ground. Lambo struck an odd pose before slowly turning around, his eyes nearly popping out of his head when he _finally_ managed to realize that he had an audience.

Gokudera was NOT pleased with the sudden interruption. _*Read the atmosphere, dammit!*_

"I, um, only happened to be passing by," Lambo stammered nervously, feeling Tsuna's and Gokudera's irritated gazes on his small form as the young child hastily began to make his way across your room, only to stop short when his wide, sea foam eyes landed on you. "Tsu-chan~!"

You barely had any time to process what was happening when Lambo suddenly launched his self at you, squealing loudly in delight. Laughing merrily when the infant landed in your lap and began his own version of 'cuddle session', you returned Lambo's eager hugs. "It's nice to see you too, Lambo," you giggled, giving the young child an affectionate pat on the head.

"T-Tsuya," Tsuna interrupted, gently grasping a hold of your wrist and giving it a small tug in order to try and gain your attention. Once your mocha eyes landed his identical pair, Tsuna tried his best to redirect your focus from the toddler in your hold. "Don't baby him so much," Tsuna argued with a frown, his stomach churning uncomfortably at the sight of you coddling Lambo.

"But Nii-san…" you began to protest, only to stop short when Tsuna shot you a pleading look. Well, that tugged on your heartstrings, you noted silently to yourself with a small sigh, reluctantly moving to release Lambo from your hold. Who were you to deny your brother anything? Your thoughts were broken when you felt something tugging on the fabric of your shirt, causing you to glance down at the toddler in your hands. "Eh?" you blinked in surprise when you felt Lambo tightly grasping your shirt, downright refusing to acknowledge the fact that you were going to put him down.

"NoOoOoOoO~! Don't let go of Lambo-san, Tsu-chaaaan~!" Lambo cried, kicking his legs in an attempt to try and push his self closer to you.

Tsuna's right eye twitched in annoyance, his stomach churning with a hot, bubbly feeling he was beginning to grow accustomed to after seeing so many males hanging around you. Unable to watch Lambo cling to you any longer, Tsuna swiped the plate of cookies off of the table and held it out for the Bovino child to see. "Lambo, look what I've got~" Tsuna persuaded, tauntingly moving the plate past the young child and immediately capturing his attention. Hastily placing the plate back on the table before Lambo mauled him over in a hectic attempt to get to the delectable dessert; Tsuna swiftly took his place by your side, his adorable mocha eyes narrowing slightly in a possessive manner as he allowed his right hand to lock in place on your hip.

_*And he says Lambo's clingy…*_ you thought to yourself in an exasperated manner, feeling Tsuna gently tug you in his direction.

"When I eat cookies I get hyper," Lambo exclaimed cheerfully, stuffing his face full of the multiple cookies laid out before him, "and after I get hyper I get sleepy," the toddler continued merrily, devouring the last few treats before the plate was left empty with nothing but a few crumbs. Lambo had officially consumed _all_ of the cookies, leaving you to wonder how on Earth he couldn't get a stomachache after eating so much in so little time.

"Lambo, take it easy," you gently chided the young Bovino, instantly capturing his attention as Lambo turned his gaze your way, his eyes lighting up at the mere sight of you which then resulted in a low, warning growl from Tsuna in reply.

"Tsuu-chaaan~!" Lambo squealed, racing in your direction only to be immediately intercepted by Haru as the young woman released a loud, boisterous giggle, capturing Lambo in her eager hold and pulling the mortified toddler to her chest where she then began to mercilessly coddle him.

"We meet again! I'm so happy!" Haru exclaimed brightly, pretty much squeezing the life out of poor Lambo as the young child began to squirm wildly in an attempt to escape her hold.

"Tsu-chan! SAVE ME~!" Lambo wailed, sobbing uncontrollably while desperately reaching out for you.

Gokudera sighed, shooting Lambo a disproving glare as you tried your best to save him from Haru's clutches. The silver-haired Mafioso's eyes trailed over to your beloved twin, managing to catch sight of the rather dark glaze in his normally gentle mocha eyes the moment your attention was diverted from him. Gokudera furrowed his brows, "I don't get it…"

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

With Lambo now tucked away and fast asleep in your bed, your group had returned to its previous task of solving question number seven. Tsuna remained glued to your side, refusing to part from you for even a moment. Gokudera didn't appear fazed by Tsuna's warning glare when your subordinate dared to inch closer to you (in fact, it didn't appear that Gokudera acknowledged Tsuna's possessiveness at all). Shouichi was trying his best to ignore the death glares thrown his way by your rowdy, silver-haired Mafioso, and Yamamoto and Haru were completely oblivious to any of these on-goings (big surprise there, eh?).

"Oh yeah!" Haru piped up suddenly, catching nearly everyone by surprise from her sudden outburst, "Since it's a middle school question, an adult should be able to figure it out."

The suggestion seemed promising, but all that was left was to decide _which_ adult you should approach for help. After all, you definitely couldn't turn to your mother for help with this problem; she just wouldn't understand the material. So that pretty much crossed off the only adult in your household, leaving your group with the dilemma on who to ask for assistance.

Tsuna appeared to have come to the same conclusion as you, "But it can't just be anyone…"

"I have someone in mind," Haru reassured your group, earning some perplexed looks in return. You and Tsuna shared identical looks, silently wonder just WHOM exactly Haru had in mind. "We were just in the kitchen together," Haru informed you all, causing you and Tsuna to nearly fall over in shock.

"What do you mean you were in the kitchen together?" you panicked, slamming your hands onto the table and leaning towards Haru while searching her eyes for an answer. You had a pretty good idea just "who" exactly it was that Haru had requested for help, and you were NOT pleased with the candidate.

Needless to say, neither was Tsuna. "Are you **MAD?** You can't ask _Bianchi_ for help with this!"

At the mention of his sibling's name, Gokudera's face paled tremendously. "Big sis?"

Shouichi banged his head against the tabletop, groaning aloud in disdain at how this evening's events have turned so drastically. This was just supposed to have been a _normal_ study date, and yet, it has escalated into a crazed gathering with more and more weirdos popping up at every corner! Screw this. It was official – you guys would not be completing your homework this evening. Just _great._

It was then that you bedroom door was cracked ajar, a suave voice floated through the air, informing all that Bianchi was just beyond the door (and scaring the sh*t out of you and Tsuna at the mere thought). "Here's a midnight snack~"

However, before the beautiful woman even had a chance to open the door any further, Gokudera launched out of his seat and rammed his body against the door, preventing his sibling from entering the room. Bianchi didn't appear to be too pleased by her younger brother's rash attempt to keep her out, causing a frown to become visible on her face through the crack of your door. "Let me in," Bianchi's smooth voice commanded, but Gokudera remained dead-set on preventing the woman from entering.

"Hey~!" Yamamoto greeted cheerfully, giving Bianchi a friendly wave.

Gokudera's eyes flashed with rage. "Don't just go along and greet her!"

"Hayato, you're taking the gender of your older sister too much into consideration," Bianchi informed her sibling with a disproving tone, causing Gokudera to blanch at the preposterous idea.

"N-no I'm not!" Gokudera argued, ramming his back against the door in a harsh manner and efficiently slamming the object shut and locking his older sister out on the other side. The silver-haired teen groaned, running a hand down his face as you worriedly observed his ill state. It was clear that if Gokudera caught a glimpse of Bianchi…he would most definitely black out.

Yamamoto chuckled at the odd encounter of the Hayato siblings, "You guys seem to get along so well."

Gokudera's head snapped in Yamamoto's direction, his eyes flashing with unbridled anger. "No we don't!"

Something didn't feel right, you thought anxiously to yourself, standing up from your seated position while warily eying your bedroom door. "Gokudera-kun," you gently called your subordinate's name, instantly capturing the young man's attention as his rage-filled eyes immediately melted into pools of adoration. You held out your hand towards Gokudera, your stomach churning uncomfortably with the idea that Bianchi would somehow break through that door any second now, "I think you should move away from the door, Gokudera-kun."

Gokudera blinked owlishly at your odd request; however, he quickly abided your wishes and hastily scurried to your side like the loyal puppy that he was. A bright smile managed to light up your features after watching you dear friend obey you without any complaint whatsoever, resulting in an _extremely_ pleased Gokudera and an _extremely_ peeved twin brother.

"Dissolving Sakura-mochi!"

Shouichi shuddered at the menacing tone that sounded from beyond the other side of your bedroom door. "T-that doesn't sound good…" your BFF noted timidly, his right hand slowly moving up to grasp a hold of the fabric covering his stomach.

"T-t-the doorknob!" Tsuna yelped, gesturing wildly towards the now dissolving metal object.

"Oh boy," you whined, subconsciously moving closer to your twin as your stomach began to form knots at the thought of the magenta haired woman. Your concern for you own safety, however, was instantly put on hold when you suddenly remembered the state Gokudera was left in whenever he managed to catch sight of his sister. You instantly began to panic, worry for your subordinate's safety taking the top priority at this time. "W-wait, Gokudera-kun!"

"Eh?" Gokudera was caught off guard by your frantic tone, causing the young man to become sidetracked as he tried to calm your torrent nerves, completely oblivious to the fact that your bedroom door swung open, revealing the bane of his existence.

"So, how do you like my Poison Cooking?" Bianchi purred, placing a hand on her hip and gazing leisurely at your stupefied group. At the sound of Bianchi's voice, Gokudera visibly flinched, his head whipping around to gaze dumbstruck at the newcomer.

"Gokudera-kun!" you cried, grasping a hold the young man's shirt and giving it a tug in order to try and divert his attention before – oh, it's too late. You watched on in horror as Gokudera's eyes rolled to the back of his head, his body slumping backwards to fall limp against your small form while his stomach lurched at the sight of the magenta beauty in your doorway. "Ack! G-Gokudera-kun!" you yelped, wrapping your arms around the young man's torso to prevent him from crashing to the ground. Gokudera's head fell back against your shoulder, his breath coming out in labored pants, brushing against your neck and sending shivers down your spine from the unusual contact.

Haru was completely blown away by the event that had just occurred. "It's dangerous!" she squeaked nervously with a shudder.

_*Right, the Poison Cooking he ate as a kid turned into a trauma for him*_ Tsuna recalled with a frown, watching you frantically tend to your fallen comrade. Feeling his gut churn with a hot, burning sensation, Tsuna huffed irritably, moving to stand up and help assist you in transferring Gokudera into your bed.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Poor Gokudera-kun," you murmured softly, gently brushing your hand against his cheek and earning a soft groan from Gokudera in response. Your silver-haired subordinate reached up and tenderly grasped your hand, holding it in place against his heated face as his eyes slowly cracked open to reveal their glazed state. You felt your stomach churn slightly after noticing that affectionate look Gokudera had in his eyes while tiredly gazing in your direction.

"Princess…"

Smiling fondly at your dear friend, you gave his hand a small, reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry, Gokudera-kun. You'll feel better soon."

A conspicuous cough then sounded from your right, causing you to turn your head slightly to catch sight of your agitated twin, whom was still glued to your hip and refusing to leave your side for even a moment. Tsuna's normally gentle gaze was currently glazed over with an emotion that has been frequently popping up more and more recently, you noted silently to yourself with an inward sigh. There was no doubt that Tsuna would voice his feelings of discontent later this evening when the two of you would finally be alone.

Meanwhile, Bianchi was currently reading question number seven off of your worksheet, her pale olive eyes flashing across the paper while silently observing the equation. Off to her left, Reborn was currently buttoning the last button on his pink and white polka dot pajamas, flashing a devious smirk in your direction. You huffed at the sight of the hitman, a bit miffed that those girly pajamas you bought him as a vain joke clearly backfired. Instead of throwing a tantrum like you had expected, Reborn had calmly accepted your 'gift' and replied by saying that pink brought out his good side. Needless to say, the tension between you two (mainly you) had increased _tremendously._

"Since I'm the one who recommended Bianchi-san, if she solves it then I win," Haru exclaimed proudly.

"Fat chance," you retorted irritably, "considering the fact that she's MY _tutor,_ if she gets the answer right then WE win."

Tsuna appeared to be a bit miffed by Haru's arrogance with the situation. "Don't just make up the rules!"

The sound of Bianchi's confident 'hmph' immediately captured everyone's attention. The magenta haired beauty smiled, placing both of her hands near the top of your worksheet, earning some rather perplexed looks from the group, "That's right. I don't care about this!" the woman exclaimed, ripping your worksheet in half and then proceeded to rip it into shreds.

You and Tsuna yelped at the horrifying sight of your worksheet becoming completely destroyed by the deranged woman. "What the HELL, Bianchi! That was my homework!" you seethed, gesturing wildly to remains of your paper as Bianchi carelessly tossed the shreds in the air.

"It has no love," was Bianchi's lame response.

"Of course it has no love, you sick woman!" you ranted heatedly, flailing your arms hysterically, "It's a FRIKKEN math test! AUGH!"

Bianchi gracefully stood up, turning her back towards you while flipping some of her magenta locks over her shoulder. "This has nothing to do with me, anyway," she retorted, exiting your room with a sway of her hips, causing you to flip her off on her way out.

"To hell with you then!" you shouted, stamping your foot angrily while Shouichi examined the remains of your worksheet.

"I hate to say it, Tsuya," Shouichi began in a remorseful tone, glancing down at the shredded pieces of paper scattered about your floor, "but there's no hope for your homework. It's completely trashed."

Tsuna tried his best to calm you down, his heart was fluttering wildly when you suddenly grabbed a hold of him and buried your face in his chest, releasing a muffled scream as you vented at the preposterous event that had just transpired. Once your muffled scream had finally subsided, you remained put, simply clinging onto your brother in an effort to calm your torrent nerves, resulting in a _very_ pleased Tsuna as he wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you closer, allowing his chin to rest on your head while his eyes melted into pools of adoration.

"Don't worry, Tsuya. Tsuna and I have a question sheet too," Yamamoto reassured you with a grin, "we can let you copy ours."

"I don't think that's going to help calm her down," Shouichi noted in mild amusement, knowing full well how you responded to these types of situations. The red-head's attention drifted away from you and Tsuna when he noticed Haru studying your brother's worksheet. Shouichi inwardly sighed, wanting nothing more for this hectic evening to end already. This was really just too much compared to the normal evenings he used to have with the Sawada twins. It was obvious that he wasn't the only one a bit put off by the events, one brief glance towards yours and Tsuna's direction informed Shouichi that you two were already fed up with this study session as well.

"Oh right, this question was from a book my dad was reading!" Haru exclaimed, hastily reaching into her pocket to pull out her cell phone, immediately dialing her father's number.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

Twenty minutes later, Reborn was out cold, blowing snot bubbles from his hammock hanging over in the right corner of your bedroom. You silently imagined the infant suddenly combusting into a wildfire of flames, but that pleasing idea was soon drafted when Haru's father (whom had arrived on the scene just mere seconds ago) hummed aloud in thought, capturing your attention as you allowed your gaze to drift his way.

"This is my dad. He's a university math professor," Haru informed you, gesturing towards the middle-aged man who was silently reading the equation off of Yamamoto's worksheet.

Shouichi had his chin placed in the palm of his hand. His vibrant green eyes observed Haru in a bored fashion, "Couldn't you have called him in the first place?"

Before Haru had a chance to respond, her father spoke up. "There's no problem with you not being able to solve this question," he explained, earning some rather perplexed looks from your group due to this new revelation, "this is very hard, a university-level question."

Tsuna furrowed his brows, completely appalled that such an equation was on our homework sheet. "High university-level?"

"You cannot prove this because it cannot happen," Haru's father continued to explain.

"Are you serious?" you questioned, feeling a bit miffed that your math teacher had put an unsolvable question on your "Pass or Fail" homework.

Haru's father nodded his head. "Yes, even as a university professor, I cannot prove it."

"No. It can be proven," Reborn's voice interrupted, capturing everyone's attention. All eyes directed themselves to the infant sprawled out in his hammock. Propping himself up with the help of his elbows, Reborn locked gazes with Haru's father, "What if, at first, the papers had glue on them," Reborn began, allowing his steely gaze to lock with you for a second as a devious smirk appeared on his lips, "when they fell, the glue would make the papers stick together."

Haru's father gasped aloud in astonishment, "I wouldn't have thought…"

"Or was that just wit?" Tsuna muttered under his breath, sharing an identical bland look with you as the two of you silently questioned Reborn's sanity.

"Those sideburns…" Haru's father breathed, his eyes widening in shock when catching sight of Reborn's curly hair, "y-you must be…"

Haru furrowed her brows in confusion. "Dad, you know Reborn-san?"

"Reborn? That isn't his name," Haru's father protested with a shake of his head, "his name is…Boreen!"

S-I-L-E-N-C-E

"Boreen?" you repeated the odd name, sharing a small glance with your beloved twin, "Isn't that the characters for 'Reborn' read backwards in Japanese, Nii-san?"

Tsuna groaned, running a hand down his face while shooting his tutor an exasperated look.

"He makes rare appearances in the scientific community," Haru's father exclaimed, gesturing excitedly towards the hitman clad in pink pajamas, "he _never_ fails to solve problems that were deemed impossible! The genius mathematician, Professor Boreen!"

"Seriously?" you and Tsuna questioned in unison, gazing warily at the 'Professor Boreen' whom has just collapsed back onto his hammock, resuming in his previous task of his evening nap. His snot bubbles informed all that Reborn was out cold once again. How could this _psychotic_ baby amount to the boasts that Haru's father was spouting? It just didn't add up.

"H-he's sleeping…" Tsuna noted in an exasperated tone, releasing a puff of air at Reborn's indifference to your study session.

"He was just talking in his sleep," Yamamoto confirmed with a small nod of his head, earning some rather doubtful looks from you, Tsuna, and Shouichi in return. "After all, he's still just a baby."

Haru stood up and rushed over to Reborn's hammock, reaching out to pick the slumbering infant up, "Okay then, Reborn-chan, you can come live in my house."

"Hey, wait a sec!" you and Tsuna protested, quickly getting to your feet.

It was then Reborn's snot bubble burst, clearly defining that the hitman was now awake. "I'm the one who ended up solving it," Reborn clarified in a monotone voice, "this match is a tie."

Haru faltered, her hands slowly falling to her side as she puffed her cheeks and performed a pout. Reborn was indifferent to Haru's actions, "I'll just tell you, until I can make Tsuna and Tsuya great 10th generation Mafia bosses, I cannot depart this house."

"…" you and Tsuna slumped back into your seats, a cloud of depression hanging over your heads after hearing Reborn's last statement, "We're doomed."

Meanwhile, Haru was baffled by the information she had just received. "Mafia?"

Sticking to his true nature of indifference, Reborn resumed his previous state of slumber. His snot bubble appearing once again as soft snores left the infant's lips. You and Tsuna were still in your little 'corner of woe', resulting in Shouichi being the one to _finally_ call the study session off. Following Haru, her father, and Yamamto's retreating forms, Shouichi paused in the entryway of your bedroom, casting you and Tsuna a brief glance. "Are you sure you two will be all right?"

Having finally snapped out of your dazed stupor, you shot your BFF a charming (albeit tired) smile. "Yeah, we'll be all right. Yamamoto left his worksheet for us to copy off of, so we'll just finish up our homework and call it a night," you said, gesturing to the Baseball Captain's homework that had been left on your coffee table. Shouichi hesitated a moment before giving a reluctant nod, shooting you a tired smile of his own before exiting the premises.

You and Tsuna were left to catch your breath, slumping against each other for support. "Note to self, no more study sessions," Tsuna stated with a sigh, wrapping his arm around your waist and gently pulling you towards his chest, allowing his head to rest atop of yours.

"Agreed~" you said with a sigh of your own, leaning into your dear brother's comforting touch.

Tsuna's eyes flitted over to your bed where it was occupied by a slumbering silver-haired Mafioso. Tsuna's grip around your waist tightened slightly at the sight of the overzealous subordinate, "What should we do about Gokudera?" Tsuna questioned tiredly, giving your waist a small possessive squeeze.

You directed your attention to the pale teen located in your bed, your eyes softening at the sight of Gokudera's peaceful expression. "Let's let him rest a bit longer, Nii-san. After all, we still need to finish our homework," you informed your beloved twin, causing Tsuna to reluctantly agree with your decision.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

Nana quietly opened the door to her children's room, peering inside to catch a glimpse of you and Tsuna hunched over the coffee table, fast asleep. A soft smile graced the woman's features as Nana silently entered the room, carefully making her way over to yours and Tsuna's slumbering forms. When she finally managed to reach your side, Nana had to place a hand over her mouth to prevent a squeal from escaping her lips at the sight of yours and Tsuna's right and left hands interlocked. Turning around to face your bed where Gokudera was still residing, Nana quietly picked up a folded blanket located at the end of your bed, returning to both yours and Tsuna's sides and draping the fuzzy fabric over your tired forms.

"Goodnight, Tsu-kun. Goodnight, Tsu-chan," Nana breathed softly, placing tender kisses on both of your foreheads before silently taking her leave. Once she reached the entry way of your room, Nana cast one last brief glance over her shoulder at the serene scene of her children, a smile gracing her features as she then proceeded to flip the light switch off and take her leave, oblivious to the pair of olive eyes watching her close the door behind her.

Gokudera propped himself up with the help of his elbows, his eyes immediately being drawn to the red, glowing numbers of yours and Tsuna's alarm clock located on the nightstand to the left of the bed. The bright numbers read 11:43pm, and Gokudera nearly fell out of bed after coming to the realization of how late he had stayed. Quietly moving to exit the bed, Gokudera was stopped by something holding on tightly to his left arm, causing the young male to direct his gaze to whatever it was that was holding him down.

"You _stupid_ cow!" Gokudera seethed under his breath, his eyes flashing at the sight of a slumbering Lambo who was now drooling on Gokudera's hand while holding the teen's arm firmly in his grasp. Using his right hand to pry the Bovino child off of his arm, Gokudera had to restrain himself from flinging the brat child across the room, settling for returning the toddler back onto your soft mattress where Lambo then sprawled his small body out.

Now free to move as he pleased, Gokudera lifted himself out of your bed, his olive eyes locking onto your small form. Carefully making his way over to your side without making a sound, Gokudera crouched next to you, silently observing your beautiful features. The young man continued to silently stare at you for a few more minutes before timidly reaching out and brushing your bangs away from your face, relishing in your serene expression.

"Princess…" Gokudera mumbled softly to himself, allowing his hand to lightly drift down the left side of your face, his expression melting into an enchanted look. Allowing his body to move of its own accord, Gokudera found himself slowly leaning closer to you, his eyes closing halfway as his heart began to pound mercilessly against his ribcage. Just as his lips were about to brush against your forehead, Gokudera paused, reality hitting him like a sack of bricks. Panicking over what he was about to do, Gokudera jerked back, his eyes widening in shock.

Feeling his cheeks heat with embarrassment, Gokudera hastily turned to take his leave, only to find his body immediately halting when he felt a small hand reach out to grasp a hold of his wrist. When your voice softly called his name, Gokudera froze, his head slowly turning around where his olive eyes met your tired mocha ones. The feeling of butterflies erupting like a wildfire in his stomach nearly sent Gokudera swaying from the overwhelming emotion, however, he could only remain frozen, simply staring back into your gaze like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Gokudera-kun," you softly repeated the young male's name, gently pulling your hand out of Tsuna's grasp, resulting in a small, sleepy protest from your beloved twin. Tiredly rubbing your eyes with your right hand, you gently tightened your hold on Gokudera's wrist. Allowing your eyes to slowly adjust to the darkness, you were able to make out your subordinate's form, his baffled expression nearly sending you into a fit of giggles. Instead, you quietly voiced your question, "Where are you going, Gokudera-kun?"

Well _shit,_ Gokudera noted silently to himself, his heart on a rampant rampage as his cheeks exploded with a deep blush.

"Gokudera-kun," the sound of his name leaving your lips only flustered him more, causing Gokudera to nearly swoon on the spot. Shaking his head in an attempt to try and clear his hazy mind, Gokudera's gaze took notice of the small frown appearing on your features, "Gokudera-kun, are you leaving?"

Unable to find his voice, all Gokudera could do was nod his head.

"No, Gokudera-kun," you softly protested and gently tightened your hold on the young man, "you should just spend the night here. It's too late to be out at this hour."

Gokudera's heart performed back flips after hearing your suggestion. The idea was highly appealing to him, but his conscious was leaning towards the option of taking his leave so that he was no longer imposing. Torn from the pleading look on your face to accept your offer, Gokudera inwardly groaned, giving his conscious a good kick for being such a drag. "I-I should really be heading home now, Princess," Gokudera reluctantly replied, speaking softly as though he were talking with a young child.

Disappointed that he chose to leave, you quickly pushed the feeling aside, a determined look appearing on your features. "Then at least let me walk home with you, Gokudera-kun."

Gokudera wasn't sure his heart could take much more of this. It was beating so fast now, he was positive it was going to explode. Convinced that the blush on his face was pretty much permanent until morning, Gokudera took a shaky breath as he tried his best to calm his quivering body. Thrilled by the idea of taking a walk with you, Gokudera's conscious kicked in (yet again), informing him that he shouldn't risk your safety just so he could please his own desires. Reluctantly agreeing with his conscious (but not before giving it one last good kick), Gokudera groaned softly in disappointment. "Y-you should stay here, Princess. I can get home on my own…"

Easily picking up on Gokudera's disappointment with his decision, your answer became obvious. "I'm not taking no for an answer, Gokudera-kun. I'm coming with you."

Standing up whilst being careful not to wake your beloved Tsuna in the process, you allowed your hand to release Gokudera's wrist to drift lower where you then gently grasped his hand, causing the young man to stutter as you then proceeded to quietly lead him out of your room and down the stairs. Once you reached the bottom of the stairs, you slipped your shoes on and grabbed a flashlight from the table located to the right of the stairway.

"P-Princess," Gokudera protested weakly, his fluttering heart faltering his attempts to persuade you to stay.

A couple minutes later, you and Gokudera had begun the trek back to his home. There was slight chill from the night air, but neither of you appeared to be bothered by the cold spell. The stars were glistening brightly in the sky above, creating a rather peaceful atmosphere. Gokudera couldn't help but find his self stealing glances of you, watching on in silent fascination as you hummed softly to yourself. The tune sounded familiar to Gokudera, and soon the answer came to him when he recalled Tsuna humming the same tune to you as the young Vongola lulled you to sleep just about a little more than an hour ago.

Unable to hide his curiosity, Gokudera softly called your name, easily capturing your attention. "What's the name of that song, Princess?"

Slightly caught off guard by Gokudera's question, you blinked owlishly for a moment before your features melted into a warm smile. "Oh, it's called 'When You Wish Upon a Star'. Tsuna always hums that tune to help me fall asleep," you informed your friend, your heart swelling with warmth at the thought of your beloved twin.

Casting a brief glance in Gokudera's direction, you found yourself smiling at the sight of your slightly flustered subordinate. Gently brushing your hand against Gokudera's, you tried your best to stifle your giggles when the young man nearly jumped out of his skin, his face turning a deeper shade of red (if that was possible) while incoherent words left his mouth in a jumbled frenzy. Allowing a soft laugh to escape your lips, your right hand gently grasped a hold of Gokudera's hand, giving it a small squeeze as you shot the flustered male a warm smile. "Tell me, Gokudera-kun~ have you ever made a wish upon a star?"

Gokudera was struggling to get a good reign over his spastic emotions. His heart was literally about to burst from his chest and Gokudera was pretty sure his face looked like a ripe tomato. *_Dizzy, not a good sign!*_ the young Mafioso thought to himself, fighting to stay balanced as his world felt as though it was slowly turning upside down. Giving his head a small shake, Gokudera furrowed his brows, a small bead of sweat running down the side of his face as the young man tried his best to focus on replying to the question you had asked him just seconds ago.

Have you ever wished upon a star?

"Once…" Gokudera muttered under his breath, unconsciously giving your hand a small squeeze at the thought of the distant memory.

"What did you wish for, Gokudera-kun?" you asked softly.

"Somewhere to belong," Gokudera responded, his olive eyes trailing up to gaze upon the stars shining brightly above. The young Mafioso allowed a smile to creep up on his lips, his eyes softening at the beautiful constellations.

You remained silent for a moment, not wanting to drag Gokudera out of his thoughts. Curiosity finally got the better of you, "…Did you find somewhere you belong?"

Gokudera's gaze locked onto your form, a grin appearing on his lips as a deep chuckle rumbled from his chest. "I'd like to think so, Princess~"

Pleased with Gokudera's response, you smiled brightly at your dear subordinate, "I'm glad to hear that, Gokudera-kun."

"What about you?" Gokudera asked, his heart fluttering wildly while directing his question towards you, "What did you wish for?"

"Tsuna," you replied in a soft tone, earning a curious expression from the young male beside you, "I wished that I'd always be able to protect Tsuna and make sure that his happiness is always top priority," you informed Gokudera with a small sigh, "but it's so hard to keep him happy when all everyone ever does is look down on him."

Gokudera instantly picked up on the depressed tone in your voice when you began to trail off on your last sentence. Furrowing his brows, Gokudera recalled how hard you and Tsuna have it at school. Half the time Gokudera found himself beating some random punk up 'cause they thought it'd be hilarious to diss on the Sawada twins for a good laugh. Heck, the first time he met you and Tsuna, Gokudera remembered the jibes and sneers your brother received from some delinquents. Allowing his eyes to glance at your small form, Gokudera noticed the downhearted expression on your face at the thought of how rough your dear twin had it. Giving your hand a small reassuring squeeze, Gokudera felt a small grin on his lips when he had managed to snap you out of your distressed thoughts.

"The Tenth may have it a bit rough," Gokudera admitted, watching your mocha eyes lock on his own pale olive ones, "but if you ask me, he seems just fine with you there to watch over him."

"G-Gokudera-kun," you mumbled softly, touched by your subordinate's words.

"Besides," Gokudera continued, his smile widening to a grin, "you're not alone anymore. Together, we'll make sure the Tenth's safety and happiness is top priority!"

You honestly didn't think your respect for Gokudera could possibly rise any higher. Faltering for a moment in your steps, you regained your composure, gazing appreciatively at the young Mafioso who had appeared in yours and Tsuna's lives and made a turn for the better. Tightening your grip on Gokudera's hand, you felt your heart swell with warmth due to the dedication Gokudera had for your family. You really couldn't have asked for a better subordinate. You were positive that with Gokudera as Tsuna's right-hand man, no harm would befall your beloved twin.

Gazing at Gokudera with a new admiration, a blissful smile appeared on your lips, "Thank you, Gokudera-kun."

Gokudera slowed to a stop, his cheeks heating up at the sight of your sincere smile. His heart skipped a beat, brining on a new wave of dizziness due to his heart beat's erratic pattern. Giving the back of his head a sheepish rub, Gokudera bashfully averted his gaze from your own warm one, "I-it's nothing, Princess, really."

"You really are too modest, Gokudera-kun," you informed your subordinate with a smile, pride swelling in your chest at the thought that your family had been able to recruit such a wonderful young man.

Unable to take the pressure of his heart performing countless back flips, Gokudera shyly mumbled that the two of you had reached his home. Blinking in surprise, you peered past Gokudera to catch sight of a quaint apartment complex. Quickly reading the address, you felt your jaw drop when you came to the realization that Gokudera was only a mere two blocks away from your house. Chuckling fondly at your rather stupefied expression, Gokudera gently reached forward with his right hand, lightly lifting your jaw shut.

"I wanted to be as close to you and the Tenth as I possibly could," Gokudera admitted with a grin.

It took a few more seconds before the information was finally able to sink in. "T-that's so cool, Gokudera-kun!"

Before anything else could be said, you suddenly felt a chill run down your spine. Your stomach then began to twist into knots, your heart racing in…panic? Ah, so that's it, eh? Your Tsuna senses are tingling, you noted silently in amusement, coming to the conclusion that your dear brother has just woken up to find you absent. Gokudera appeared to have caught on to your quiet state, eyeing you worriedly as he awaited a response from you. Snapping out of your daze, you shot your subordinate an apologetic look, "I'm sorry Gokudera-kun, but I have to head home now. Tsuna's having a heart attack."

Not sure whether he should be concerned or aloof, Gokudera decided to pick the latter when he realized that you were calm despite your rather worrisome last sentence concerning your brother. Clearly it's a twin thing, Gokudera noted silently to his self with a smile, watching you shoot him one last smile of your own before beginning to release his hand from your hold.

Oddly enough, panic shot through Gokudera's system as he frantically grabbed a hold of your hand again, holding it firmly which managed to elicit a rather curious expression from you in response. "W-wait, Princess," Gokudera stuttered, a blush staining his cheeks while his right hand delved into his jeans' pocket to retrieve something. Staring into your eyes with a rather hot expression, Gokudera made your head spin for moment due to the strange look. You were able to snap out of your daze, however, when you suddenly felt the young man place something in your hand. Glancing down to see what it was, you were surprised to find a stick of dynamite placed in the palm of your hand.

Your eyes met Gokudera's; silently asking him what this was for. The young male flushed in response, bashfully averting his gaze to the side, "I-I'd feel better knowing you're armed on your way home, Princess…"

Your eyes lit up, your heart filling with warmth at the thought that Gokudera was so concerned with your safety. Releasing a soft giggle, you reached out, grasping a hold of Gokudera's shirt and catching the young man by surprise as you then proceeded to pull him down to your level. Planting an affectionate kiss on his cheek, you then released the man from your hold, flashing him one last smile before breathlessly thanking him again and then taking off, leaving behind an _extremely_ flustered Mafioso.

Allowing his hand to rest on the area where you lips made contact with, Gokudera dazedly stared after your retreating form. The moment you were finally out of sight, Gokudera slowly turned around and then drunkenly began to stumble towards the staircase leading to the upper level where his apartment was located.

There would _definitely_ be a new wish for the star tonight.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Well isn't this surprising?" you muttered bitterly to yourself, your right eye twitching in annoyance while staring straight at the bane of your existence.

"Ushishishi~" Belphegor's eerie laugh filtered through the air, sending a small chill down your spine. Casually slipping your hand into the pocket of your sweatpants, you grasped a hold of the stick of dynamite that Gokudera had sent you off with. Once the weapon was in your hand, your body unconsciously relaxed just slightly, calmed by the thought that you were armed and ready to attack if Prince the Creeper decided to try anything…_funny._

"Why so serious, Princess~?" Belphegor taunted, his lips forming his trademark maniacal grin as the young male slowly sauntered your way.

Ironically for you, you were just mere minutes away from your house when Belphegor suddenly strode out from the darkness like the freak he was. Your senses had immediately flashed the warning signal when the 'Prince' strolled under a dim light beam provided by one of the street lamps, illuminating his features and revealing the red splotches that were covering his ensemble. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the psycho was covered in blood (most of which likely didn't belong to him). After witnessing his mentality during the strange 'encounters' when the male had decided to stalk you, the conclusion that this guy could easily extinguish your existence _never_ left your thoughts.

Narrowing your gaze at the smug blonde, you stood your ground, unwilling to give this creep any sort of satisfaction that you were nervous, "Considering the fact that I have Jack the Ripper stalking me…I find it hard to believe I can be anything _but_ serious."

"Ushishishi~" Belphegor slinked closer, his grin widening as he circled you like a lion would its prey, "who would've thought the Princess had a sense of humor? And here I thought you were a party pooper~"

"Bring that face any closer and I'll _show_ you just how humors I am!" you retorted with an irk mark, tightening your grip on the concealed stick of dynamite in the pocket of your sweatpants.

"So rebellious," Belphegor cooed, daring to pause in front of you and then taunt you by leaning in close, his breath fanning across your face, "the Prince _likes_ it."

Unable to control your anger, your hand instinctively released the dynamite to perform a sucker punch, unfortunately for you, Belphegor seemed to have anticipated your brash reaction, simply dancing out of harm's while another 'Ushishishi' left his lips. Gritting your teeth, you stamped your right foot on the ground to try and vent some of your anger, "Ugh! Quit taunting me, you asshole!"

Slipping his hands into the pockets of his jacket, Belphegor chuckled, apparently getting quite a kick out of your wavering emotions. "Tsk, tsk. Princess shouldn't use such _vulgar_ words. The Prince doesn't find it very attractive~"

"I don't give a rat's ass if you find it attractive, you maniac!" you seethed, "I just want you to STOP stalking me!"

"The Prince finds it amusing to stalk his Princess. Stopping would be pointless," Belphegor sighed dramatically, causing you to roll your eyes at the Drama Queen.

"I find it hard to believe that ceasing your stalking would be unbeneficial," you noted in a dry tone, eyeing the splotches splattered across the young male's clothing, "besides, if you ask me, it seems that you have _other_ hobbies to keep yourself occupied."

Instantly picking up on your subtle hints towards the blood coating his clothes, a smirk slowly began to form on Belphegor's lips, "Ushishishi~ the Princess is very intelligent," the young male taunted, bringing his right hand out of his pocket to reveal a small silver throwing knife. You immediately tensed at the sight of the weapon, causing Belphegor's smirk to widen as he then began to leisurely twirl it around his finger, "You're right. The Prince does have…_other_ hobbies besides stalking his Princess. However, the Prince has found his previous tasks to become rather boooring."

"Boring, huh?" you repeated in a suspicious tone, your hand slowly reaching back into your pocket to grasp a hold of the stick of dynamite once again.

"The Prince prefers it when his prey actually retaliates~" Belphegor informed you, his smirk transforming into his infamous grin.

"Well, there's a _lovely_ thought," you responded in disgust, narrowing your eyes at the blonde male who was now beginning to show signs of mischief, resulting in you turning your defenses on.

"Herbivore."

Both you and Belphegor froze at the rather intimidating tone that had just sounded from behind you. Reluctant to turn around, having a good hunch who that deep voice belonged to, you slowly turned to catch sight of none other than Kyouya Hibari. The raven haired male was still clad in his school uniform. A sudden sliver of light directed your startled gaze to the tonfas held firmly in his grasp, informing you that he was ready to attack. Trying your best to keep your jaw from dropping, you felt your heart plummet when Hibari locked gazes with you, his steely eyes silently telling you that he wouldn't hesitate to 'bite you to death'.

Why the HECK was Hibari strolling near your house, anyway?

"Princess," Belphegor called your nickname, capturing your attention due to the rather uncharacteristic, jealous tone located within the blonde male's tone, "the Prince wasn't aware that you had _other_ stalkers…"

Before you were even able to respond, Hibari took a menacing step forward, shielding you from the seething 'Prince's' sight. Wielding his tonfas expertly, Hibari causally slipped into his fighting stance, his steely gaze narrowing into a rather frightening glare that would have most opponents quaking in their boots (then again, this IS Belphegor you're talking about). "Attacking members of my district is against the rules, herbivore."

You noticed Belphegor's grip on the small silver throwing knife tightened at Hibari's menacing tone, informing you that Belphegor wasn't going to cooperate and simply back off like most others would. Scoffing at the threat Hibari had thrown his way; Belphegor raised his arm holding the knife, aiming it at the center between Hibari's eyes. "The Prince does NOT like to be ordered around by a filthy _peasant._"

Oh boy, this just spelled **disaster.**

You didn't miss how both males tensed, preparing for battle and scaring the sh*t out of you at the mere thought of being caught between the crossfire of these two competitive young men. With your mind racing at a mile a minute whilst trying to decide if your 'fight or flight' mode would kick in, you were soon given the answer when you suddenly felt a blow to the back of your head, knocking you flat on your face as you then groaned at the painful contact at meeting the asphalt in such a harsh manner.

"Stupid Tsuya, who said you could leave the house at this hour?"

Oh, could this night GET any better?

Pushing yourself up off the sidewalk, you cast a heated glare over your shoulder at your family's home tutor, your eyes flashing with rage at the sight of the hitman clad in nothing but his pink and white polka dotted pajamas. Reborn easily waved your murderous glares aside, crossing his arms over his chest while shooting you a look of his own, "No-good Tsuna has grown frantic and unreasonable. I've had to lock him in his room to prevent him from rushing out of the house to search for you. Would you care to explain why you decided to take a midnight stroll? Or would this have anything to do with Gokudera's absence?"

Blown away by Reborn's ability to read you like an open book, you felt your cheeks flush in embarrassment. "There is no way a child your age could be THIS tactical!"

"Of course not," Reborn snorted with a roll of his eyes, "your stupidity is simply unbelievable. You're almost as bad as No-good Tsuna."

"Augh, shut up, Reborn!" you snapped irritably with an irk mark, causing a smirk to appear on the hitman's features as he then hopped on to your head where he then sat comfortably, giving your head a small whack.

"Enough dallying," Reborn chided, giving you one last whack on the head before continuing his speech, "it's time for us to head home before No-good Tsuna decides to fling himself out the window."

Quietly cursing the infant under your breath while slowly getting to your feet, your eyes cast a brief glance to your left only to widen in surprise when you finally managed to notice that Belphegor was nowhere in sight, leaving behind a rather steamed Hibari who was now giving you a rather smoldering glare. Beginning to feel a bit uneasy with the way Hibari was looking at you while his anger was currently radiating off of him in a rather murderous intent, you laughed sheepishly while slowly inching away from the beyond pissed Prefect.

Reborn cast his steely gaze Hibari's way, locking eyes with the violent young man. "Thank you for coming to Tsuya's aid. I assure you that she'll be at school tomorrow on time to receive the proper punishment you see fit."

You almost performed another face-plant after hearing Reborn literally hand you over to the psychotic Prefect on a silver platter.

Hibari appeared to have calmed down after hearing Reborn's offer. "Very well," the raven haired male acknowledged with a small nod, his body relaxing from its previous tense position. Making sure to lock gazes with you, a smirk managed to make its way onto Hibari's lips, "I'll see you tomorrow, herbivore."

With that said, Hibari then promptly turned on his heel, the black jacket resting over his shoulders billowing in the slight breeze behind him as the young male then strode off, soon disappearing completely in to the night. You were left to stand there, jaw slightly ajar, still trying to process what had just happened. It was Reborn who finally snapped you out of your stupor by smacking you on the head yet again. Silently cursing the hitman, you turned towards the direction of your house, slowly making your way to your humble abode before suddenly breaking out into a full-blown run, eager to return to your beloved Tsuna after having to deal with these whackjobs.

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

Rushing up the stairs of your household, you were greeted by the sounds of Tsuna's muffled and frantic shouts residing on the other side of your bedroom door, closely followed by numerous bangs against the wooden object, informing you that your brother was pissed. Hastily grasping a hold of the doorknob, you twisted the object, surprised to hear a rather audible click as the door mysteriously unlocked itself and swung open, causing Tsuna to suddenly stumble out into your arms, taking you both down while Reborn gracefully jumped off of your head to avoid the collision as you and Tsuna crashed to the ground.

"T-Tsuya!"

You barely had any time to regain your composure you when you suddenly felt yourself being pulled off of the floor into a sitting position and yanked into Tsuna's frantic hold. Feeling your air circulation being cut off by the nearly bone-crushing grasp Tsuna had, your body was soon filled with the torrent emotions Tsuna had been feeling for the past half hour. You almost grimaced at the train wreck left behind in the wake of the emotions flowing through your system. Tsuna didn't appear to show any signs of releasing you from his hold any time soon. In fact, his hold on you only seemed to tighten even more, causing you to release a small yelp in surprise.

"Where the HELL where you, Tsuya? You didn't take your cell phone with you so I had NO way to contact you whatsoever! Not only that – but Reborn decided to be a jerk and _lock_ me in our room so I couldn't leave the house to search for you. I was seriously debating on jumping out the window at some point!" Tsuna relayed to you in a rushed manner, his quivering body caging you while his left hand situated itself on your lower back and his right hand slipped behind your head, pulling you insanely close to his body. You could literally feel the frantic heart beat of your beloved sibling as Tsuna buried his face into the crook of your shoulder mumbling about how worried he was during your absence.

Taking a deep breath to try and calm yourself (despite the fact that Tsuna's torrid emotions were racing through your system), you gently wrapped your arms around Tsuna, returning his desperate act of affection in an effort to try and calm him down. "I'm sorry, Nii-san," you murmured gently, allowing your hands to grasp the material of your brother's shirt, "I wasn't really thinking."

Tsuna tightened his hold on you, his breathing eventually calming down to the point where he was no longer hyperventilating. "J-just…don't do it again," your brother softly pleaded, tiredly leaning his head against your shoulder.

"I promise," you vowed, giving Tsuna a loving squeeze before slowly beginning to pull away.

"Come on, let's get into bed," you gently coaxed your twin, locking hands with Tsuna and carefully helping him to his feet. Your brother muttered something under his breath, squeezing your hand possessively while following you to the twin bed that you both shared. Pulling back the sheets, you and Tsuna slipped into bed, pulling the large comforter back over you two. Snuggling close to your brother, you rested your head on Tsuna's chest, your eyes slowly sliding shut while listening to the gentle rhythm of Tsuna's heartbeat, his soft breathing also lulling you to sleep.

Just as you found yourself slipping into dreamland, your heart suddenly skipped a beat when you felt Tsuna's hand rest on your head, his fingers gently running through your brown locks as a familiar tune was softly hummed for you. Completely surrendering to the call of sleep, your breathing evened, informing Tsuna that you had successfully fallen asleep.

Gazing lovingly at your slumbering form, Tsuna continued to run his fingers through your hair, his heart swelling at the sight of the serene expression on your face while you slept. Gently brushing his lips against your forehead, Tsuna planted a loving kiss before pulling back and resting his head once again on the pillow, resuming his previous task of softly humming your tune.

_"When you wish upon a star…your dream comes true."_

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

As usual, the next morning was full of nothing but pure chaos.

Things first took off when you and Tsuna slowly trudged downstairs to find Bianchi cooking breakfast instead of your mother, causing you and Tsuna to immediately reject the revolting food and rush back upstairs to change into your school uniforms, deciding to simply begin the day without having breakfast (hurray). Of course, the moment you mentioned you were leaving, Lambo began the waterworks, clinging to your leg while wailing for you to remain here with him. Reborn then retaliated by kicking the Bovino child in the head, knocking him right off your leg and sent barreling into the wall. Before you even had the chance to check on the young child to see if he was all right, Tsuna had dragged you right out the front door, eager to begin the day without any further interruptions.

Oddly enough, Shouichi didn't show up for the routine walk to school, resulting in you and Tsuna having to begin the trek without him (which left you two feeling rather out of place without the red-head accompanying you both like tradition). So, without further ado, you and Tsuna were currently making your way towards school with no real rush at all. In fact, you two were trudging a bit today, exhausted from yesterday's activates.

"Yesterday was full of trouble," Tsuna sighed, his eyes half closed as your twin tightly grasped your hand, trying his best not to stumble due to his tired state.

"You can say that again," you agreed, giving Tsuna's hand a small squeeze in retaliation. The two of you then yawned, tears appearing in the corner of your eyes as a result of your dazed states as you two continued to slowly make your way through town, oblivious to the armored person peering at you both from behind a corner.

_Ka-thump. Ka-thump. Ka-thump. Ka-thump._

"Huh? I'm so tired, my ears are buzzing," Tsuna droned.

You furrowed your brows, your ears also picking up the rather metallic footsteps that appeared to be trailing behind you at a slight distance. What on earth…? Pausing in your steps, you turned your head slightly to see what or who was following you and Tsuna. Feeling your arm being pulled by a slight tug, you were soon informed that Tsuna had come to a halt as well after finally realizing that you had come to a stop. Taking a few steps back to join you by your side, both you and Tsuna gazed behind in an effort to see what was causing that odd sound.

_*It's not buzzing?*_ Tsuna thought in despair, tightening his grip on your hand while subconsciously moving closer to your small form.

It was then a person clad in various amounts of different armor was revealed. Their face was covered with a purple helmet with three stars located on the top. In their right, gloved hand was a hockey stick, wielded as though it were to be used as a weapon, causing you and Tsuna some slight discomfort at the thought that you both now had yet _another_ whackjob stalking you two.

Just great.

"Run, Tsuya!" Tsuna cried, jerking your arm back as he immediately took off, dragging you behind him as you yelped loudly in surprise. You struggled to try and regain your footing, but so far you were simply being dragged like a ragdoll. You could only allow yourself to be dragged after your frantic brother, watching on in confusion as the person clad in armor gave chase, only adding more to Tsuna's adrenaline as he picked up speed and took a sharp turn to the left, then the right, and then yet _another_ sharp left, running across the bridge that lead to your school. Ironically, though, Tsuna managed to trip over his own feet, sending you two crashing to the ground in a jumbled mess.

"A-ah, Tsuya!" Tsuna rushed to your aid, quickly scanning your body with his eyes for any signs of cuts or scrapes.

"Ngh, Nii-san," you began, wincing slightly from the fall but otherwise in good shape.

"T-Tsuna-san," a muffled voice called, causing you both to flinch. Slowly turning your heads, you and Tsuna gazed up at the armored fiend who was currently huffing, apparently out of breath from having given chase, "Good morning."

"H-huh!" tightening his grip on your shoulders Tsuna pulled you close, his body quivering in fright yet his eyes remained passive, flashing with emotion in a silent warning that he wasn't going to allow any harm to come to you. "W-who are you?"

The person then reached up to pull the helmet off of their face, causing yours and Tsuna's jaws to drop at the sight of a rather ruffled brunette whom you both had seen the previous night before. "It's Haru, who was thinking too much and wasn't able to sleep," the young woman informed you two, the dark bags under eyes becoming quite noticeable, completely verifying her statement.

"What?" you asked in disbelief, taking Tsuna's hand as he offered to help you stand up. The two of you took a cautious step back from the crazy girl, eying her warily as you both kept your distance.

"You dress like that when you don't get enough sleep?" Tsuna inquired with furrowed brows, his hand remaining entwined with yours.

Haru appeared to be offended by your brother's acquisition, "Of course not, if that were true, I'd be an idiot."

"You don't say?" you commented in a dry tone.

"Then why?" Tsuna questioned exasperatedly.

"If Reborn-chan is really a hitman and you're going to be a 10th generation Mafia boss, then you must be _really_ strong," Haru retorted, causing you and Tsuna to blanch at her determination. While Tsuna appeared to be quite distressed by the thought that Haru thought such things about him, you couldn't help but feel a sense of pride that this whackjob believed your brother to be such a high ranking person. Placing her helmet back on, Haru addressed Tsuna once again, "If you win, I'll accept everything. I won't even complain about Reborn-chan's way of living!"

Amused by Haru's spouts, your easygoing take on the young woman instantly changed the moment she took a fighting stance and addressed your brother, calling him to battle. "I ask you to fight!"

"W-wait!" Tsuna gasped, tensing drastically when the deranged female suddenly charged with a battle cry, raising the hockey stick high above her head, ready to bring it down in a brutal attack. However, before Tsuna could even blink, you had released his hand and instantly rushed to stand in front of your twin in a protective stance, your eyes narrowing into a menacing glare as adrenaline rushed through your veins at the thought that this psycho wanted to harm your brother.

Moving to swing the hockey stick down, Haru shrieked in surprise when her body teetered back for a few seconds due to her exhausted state. Taking this moment as an opportunity, you rushed forward, lifting your right leg and performing a round-house kick, knocking Haru clear off her feet and sent crashing flat on her back. Anger flooded your system. You were NOT going to give this whackjob a single chance to harm your beloved Tsuna in ANY way. You released a low, warning growl as Haru staggered to her feet, preparing herself once more for battle. Tch! Her loss.

"T-Tsuya, wait!" Tsuna called out frantically, his heart lurching at the sight of you and Haru engaging in a rather heated battle.

Meanwhile, just a few feet away, Gokudera, Shouichi, and Yamamoto were slowly making their way towards the bridge. The three young men were currently too occupied by their conversation to notice the chaos lurking just up ahead.

"Geez, why do I have to meet you two first thing in the morning?" Gokudera snarled viciously, his eyes flashing with rage while gazing directly at Shouichi.

The red-head groaned internally, his mind still frazzled from a rather restless night. "Ugh, I woke up late 'cause I forgot to set my alarm clock so I could meet up with Tsuna and Tsuya. I'm just heading this way to see if I can catch up with them before they reach the school – that's all."

Yamamoto laughed airily, oblivious to the tension that hovered over their small group. "Well, our houses are the same way from school."

Gokudera snorted at the two males walking beside him. Shoving his hands into his jeans' pockets, Gokudera glared ahead. His silver hair was slightly ruffled, informing all that the young Mafioso had had a rather rough night. His clothes were wrinkled a bit, also giving off the sense that the teen was a bit disoriented this morning. That was the least of his troubles, however. After realizing that he was off to a late start, Gokudera was extremely irritated by the fact that he had missed out on walking with you and the Tenth to school. His mood continued to take a turn for the worse when he had managed to come across Shouichi along the way, and soon after, the ever oh-so-cheerful Yamamoto. Needless to say, Gokudera was NOT pleased.

"W-w-wait!"

At the sound of Tsuna's frantic cry, both Gokudera and Shouichi immediately came to a halt, their worried gazes traveling over towards the bridge just a few feet away. They were stunned to see you and Haru dishing it out, Tsuna frantically trying to break the fight up while having to occasionally jerk back in order to miss being bashed by Haru's hockey stick which then had you retaliating by either performing a brutal punch that had Haru stumbling back or a powerful kick that knocked the deranged woman clear off her feet.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, this quote really shined for you when it came to protecting your beloved twin.

"Tsuya!"

"Princess!"

Shouichi and Gokudera took off, rushing towards your group like stampeding elephants while closely being followed by Yamamoto.

Crouching down low to avoid another violent swing from Haru's hockey stick, you quickly got to your feet and blocked the second blow by crossing your arms into an 'X'. Wincing slightly from the harsh contact, you were pushed back slightly from the brute force yet you refused to back down. Smacking Haru's weapon away with your right arm, your arm then swung beneath the weapon as Haru staggered for moment. Swiftly moving your arm so that it was positioned atop of the hockey stick, giving your hand the opportunity to grasp a hold of the weapon, you grasped on to it tightly, jerking it towards your body. The pull caused Haru to stumble forward where you then greeted the dazed young woman by slamming your left fist into her gut, knocking the air right out of her.

The two of you stumbled away from each other while trying to regain your breaths. While you _were_ managing to hold out on your own, you had received quite a few good bruises that had been applied to numerous parts on your body from hits that Haru had managed to land on you during your battle. Although you were a bit sore, you refused to back down. Your will to protect Tsuna was far too strong to be deterred by some minor aches.

Unfortunately for you, Tsuna knew when you were near your breaking point. "Tsuya! STOP IT!"

Startled by the heart wrenching tone in Tsuna's pleading voice, you faltered for a moment, glancing over your shoulder to meet your twin's watery gaze where your heart then lurched when you finally realized that seeing you fight like this was having a rather disastrous effect on Tsuna's heart. Your body finally fell from its tense posture, your eyes losing the shine to fight to be replaced with the weariness you were truly feeling. "Nii-san…"

"We're not trying to become Mafia bosses!" Tsuna cried out, trying his best to break through Haru's scattered thoughts.

"So you really are just toying with Reborn-chan!" Haru screamed, turning from you to attack your unsuspecting twin.

"Not- we're not—" Tsuna tried to explain, only to be cut off when Haru suddenly swung her hockey stick in a wild manner. Bracing himself for impact, Tsuna felt his heart stop when you rushed in front of him and took the blow. Your body smashed back into Tsuna's knocking you both to the ground. Frantically sitting up, Tsuna pulled you into his arms, his heart literally breaking when he caught sight of your busted lower lip, blood slowly seeping out from the wound. "T-T-Tsuya!"

"Owww…" you groaned, your right hand lifting up to gently cup your right cheek where you were sure a nasty bruise was beginning to form. Ignoring the metallic taste in your mouth, you were drawn away from your pain when a dry sob suddenly left Tsuna's lips. Instantly beginning to panic at the sight of your distressed sibling, you frantically began to try and calm Tsuna down. "D-don't cry, Nii-san! I'm all right, really, I am!"

Your excuses didn't appear to have any effect on Tsuna. "How can you _say_ that, Tsuya? Look at you! You're completely covered in bruises!"

Opening your mouth to reply, the words never left your lips when Tsuna suddenly ripped his tie off of his neck. Fumbling while trying to wrap it around a rather nasty cut that was bleeding quite a bit on your upper left arm, Tsuna tried his best not cry, frantically wrapping the fabric around your wound so that he would no longer have to see your blood. "Everything's going to be okay…everything's going to be okay…" Tsuna muttered under his breath in an effort to convince his self that this chaos would soon end.

"Nii-san," you mumbled, feeling your heart clenching at the sight of your brother's watery eyes.

"Tenth! Princess!" Gokudera's voice rang out, catching you both by surprise as your identical gazes drifted over towards the sidewalk leading to the bridge. There, the silver-haired Mafioso, Shouichi, and Yamamoto were racing to reach you two. Gokudera gestured wildly to the air, calling out to you both once more. "Please get out of the way!"

"Huh?" Tsuna glanced up, his body suddenly tensing. Curiosity getting the better of you, you glanced up as well. The sight above chilled you both to the bone. There were multiple sticks of activated dynamite falling from the sky over your group, causing Tsuna to shriek as he quickly scrambled to his feet, his right hand tightly grasping yours as Tsuna then began to flee the scene, dragging you effortlessly behind him.

"H-hey!" you yelped, your hand slipping out of Tsuna's protective hold when you suddenly found yourself being jerked back. Whipping your head around to see what the deal was, you almost performed a face-plant when you noticed that Haru was grasping the back of your shirt, holding you in place and preventing you from moving. "Let go!" you snapped irritably, trying to tug your shirt out of the deranged young woman's grasp.

"I am not letting you flee this battle until one of us is the victor!" Haru retorted, keeping a firm hold on you.

"Look at the sky, you idiot!" you seethed, gesturing wildly to the sticks of dynamite that were falling from above.

"Hmph. You think I'm that naïve?" Haru huffed, causing you to shoot her a look that said 'what-do-you-think-moron?'. Giving your shirt a nice forceful tug, Haru refused to glance up at the sky, "I can't be fooled with tricks like that!"

"TSUYA!" Tsuna's panicked cry snapped you out of your thoughts of strangling the young woman in front of you.

Slamming your hands onto either side of Haru's helmet, you jerked the female's head back so that she was _finally_ gazing up at the sky to see the danger. A startled cry left her lips as you then tried to break free from her grip. Unfortunately for you, in her state of panic, Haru only tightened her grip on you and actually tugged you towards her, pulling you right along with her underneath the line of fire.

"Dammit, Haru! LET GO!" you shouted, tugging viciously on your shirt in an effort to get the woman to release you from her hold.

"Tsuya!" Tsuna screamed, rushing towards you.

The explosion finally activated, sending Tsuna hurling backwards as he cried out. Hitting the ground with a rather brute force, Tsuna grunted in pain for a moment, his mocha eyes frantically searching for your form through the thick, black smoke that had appeared after the explosives had detonated. Scrambling to his feet Tsuna rushed into the exhaust, blindly searching for you while your name left his lips in anxious calls. Upon no immediate response, Tsuna's heart plummeted, his fear spiking through the roof as the smoke _finally_ began to clear. However, the sight that met Tsuna only caused his stomach to lurch. There, on the ground were Haru's helmet and hockey stick – yet neither one of you were present.

"TSUYA!" Tsuna screamed your name, terror completely overriding his system.

"Nii-san!"

At the sound of your voice, Tsuna rushed over to the railing of the bridge, his heart coming to a full stop at the sight of you dangling over the ledge with a petrified look on your face. Your right hand was grasping onto the rail as though your life depended on it. Clinging to your waist was none other than Haru, wailing loudly for you to try and pull them out of danger (fat chance of that though seeing as how she weighed a freakin' ton!).

"Tsuya!" Tsuna frantically reached out for you, bending over the railing as far as he could so that he could reach your hand.

Although you were still scared out of your wits, the moment your hand grasped Tsuna's, comfort flooded your system due to the tight grip Tsuna had on you. Gazing up into his eyes, you could see the sheer determination burning brightly in Tsuna's orbs as he absolutely pointblank _refused_ to let you go. Trying his best to pull you back onto solid ground, frustrated grunts left Tsuna's lips due to the weight he was struggling to lift. Now, had it merely been just you he was trying to pull up, Tsuna would have no problems whatsoever. But, seeing as how Haru was also along for the ride this only complicated things much more due to her _heavy_ armor.

Sweat began to form on Tsuna's furrowed brows; the reality of him being unable to lift you to safety pierced his heart like a bullet. It was just psychically impossible for him with his small build to able to successfully pull both you AND Haru out of harm's way. With his heart racing a mile a minute, Tsuna released a frustrated cry, tightening his grip on your hand so that he could hold on to you until help arrived. As much as it pained him to admit it, Tsuna just wasn't strong enough to pull this off – and that hurt his pride far more than _anything_ Reborn could ever possibly do.

"Don't let go!" Tsuna urged frantically, tears welling up in his eyes after having to witness such a terrified look on your face as you nervously glanced down to the water below then hastily averted your frantic gaze back towards Tsuna's identical one.

Feeling his arm begin to shake due to the tremendous strain from having to hold on to the weight of two girls, Tsuna began to panic, his eyes widening in terror when he felt your hand slowly beginning to slip from his own. "No! No, no, no, no, NO!" Tsuna cried, his eyes frantically searching for someone, _anyone_ to help.

"Tenth!"

"Tsuna!"

Jerking his head to the left, relief flooded Tsuna's system when he caught sight of Gokudera and Shouichi rushing towards him with Yamamoto right at their heels. Releasing a noise to express the comfort he suddenly felt at the sight of assistance, Tsuna's eyes hastily directed themselves back to your own identical ones. "Just hold on, Tsuya! Help is on the way."

The instant relief Tsuna was feeling deflated dramatically when he managed to catch sight of your terrified expression despite his good news. The answer to your terror was soon realized by Tsuna when he felt your hand barely grasping his own. Feeling petrified at this new revelation, Tsuna frantically tried to strengthen his hold on you, his heart plummeting once more when he suddenly felt you slip from his grasp.

The sound of two distinct splashes caught Shouichi's ears as he was finally within mere inches from a rather hysteric Tsuna, informing the red-head just what exactly it was that had plummeted into the water below. "No, don't!" Shouichi screamed, dropping his satchel and racing forward to wrap his arms around Tsuna's waist to prevent the young man from throwing himself over the bridge. Trying his best to remain a firm hold on Tsuna throughout the frantic thrashes, Shouichi continued to prevent the eldest Sawada twin from lunging forward. "Tsuna, you CAN'T swim! You CAN'T Swim! What good will that do?"

"Tsuya! Tsuya's down there! She can't swim either!" Tsuna screamed, thrashing wildly in a frantic attempt to rush to your aid.

**"What?"** Gokudera shrieked, rushing over to the railing. His eyes frantically scanned the water below for any signs of your form. A few feet away, Haru had resurfaced, flailing wildly while struggling to remain afloat which was becoming a rather impossible task due to the heavy weight applied to her body from the armor she was currently wearing. However, Gokudera wasn't really concerned about the young woman, instead, his eyes continued to search for any sight of you. As the agonizing seconds continued to tick by, you still had YET to surface. Gokudera's knuckles were beginning to turn white, his breathing becoming almost as erratic as Tsuna's. "Dammit!" the silver-haired Mafioso cursed, preparing to dive in after you.

Tears began to cascade down Tsuna's cheeks, his heart literally breaking into two at the terrifying realization that you couldn't reach the surface. **"TSUYA!"**

"You're going to save her,'' Reborn's suave voice called out calmly, causing all of the young men's heads to jerk towards the infant's direction. The hitman was currently standing on a small block of concrete at the end of the railing, gazing directly at Tsuna with a steely look. With his chameleon perched atop of his right hand, the animal flashed with a bright light, transforming into Reborn's infamous handheld pistol. Taking aim at the center of Tsuna's forehead with precision, Reborn fired his 'Dying Will' bullet.

Shouichi's eyes widened in shock as he witnessed the bullet impale Tsuna's forehead, knocking the young male right out of Shouichi's hold and over the railing. Rushing over to the ledge Shouichi peered over; watching on in horror as Tsuna's body plummeted towards the water below. It was like watching everything in slow motion now, the way Tsuna's eyes rolled to the back of his head as his body continued to fall. Within moments, Tsuna's skin began to glow, a small flicker of a flame appearing on his forehead. Shouichi knew what was coming now, and as expected, Tsuna was suddenly revived, ripping his uniform off in the process.

"REBORN!" Tsuna screamed, his eyes burning brightly with determination, "I'll save Tsuya with my dying will!"

A smirk appeared on Reborn's lips, his handheld pistol taking aim once more at Tsuna. "This is the Screw Bullet!"

_BANG. BANG._

Shouichi hastily adjusted his classes, learning further over the railing to watch the two blue bullets shoot through the air. The shells of the bullets suddenly split apart to reveal two blinding lights. Each beam of light penetrated one of Tsuna's ankles, causing Shouichi's brows to furrow as he silently wondered what the effects were. He was soon answered when Tsuna's feet began to spin wildly like propellers, launching the eldest Sawada twin forward and into the water where Tsuna quickly disappeared from sight.

_*Can't…breath…*_ your hazy mind came the conclusion, your lungs burning with a desperate need for oxygen. You had given up flailing a while ago, all energy having been zapped from your body from your failed efforts to try and reach the surface. Instead, you found your body slowly sinking, completely exhausted and unable to perform any type of movement. You were beginning to drift in and out of conciseness now, finding yourself struggling just to keep your eyes open halfway. One last thought drifted through your dazed mind before everything finally faded away to black. _*Nii-san.*_

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"…ya…Tsu…ya..! Wak…ple…ase…ke…up! Tsu…"

Muffled noises filtered through your mind, causing you to tiredly wonder who was calling out to you. A slight pressure was felt on your lips, then your chest… what exactly was going on? Reluctant to wake, still a bit wary that you could awaken either underwater or some shiny place you _really_ didn't want to be right now, kept you from opening your eyes or giving a response of any kind. It wasn't until the sound of Tsuna's anguished voice piercing through your mind did you find your eyes snapping open to meet green ones, just as a gush of air was whisked through your lips.

Jerking back once he realized that you were now awake, Shouichi hastily turned you onto your side, allowing you to hack up the water that had filled your system from having been submerged for so long. Once you were finally able to catch your breath, Shouichi gently helped you sit up, a soft expression on his face.

"TSUYA!"

You barely had any time to register what was happening when you suddenly found yourself swept away from Shouichi and into Tsuna's frantic hold as he held you bridal style. Your half lidded gaze observed the relieved expression on Tsuna's face, silently taking notice of the redness of his eyes. Staring at you with a gaze full of nothing but pure love, Tsuna rested his forehead against your own, his breath gently fanning across your face as soft mumbles left his lips explaining how relieved he was to know that you were alive. Planting butterfly kisses along your face, Tsuna pulled you close, desperate to feel your heartbeat to remind himself that all was well and you were _alive._

"Nii-san…" you breathed, a small, strained laugh leaving your lips due to Tsuna's smothering.

"I love you so, so, _so_ much~" Tsuna whispered under his breath, his eyes melting into pools of adoration while staring at your tired form.

Feeling completely protected in Tsuna's arms, you found yourself slipping off into unconscious again. Leaning your head against your brother's bare chest, you allowed your eyes to slowly slid shut, your world falling into darkness once more thanks to the comfort your beloved Tsuna provided.

Startled when you slipped back into unconsciousness, Tsuna's frantic gaze locked with Shouichi's own calm ones, silently asking what was wrong. Shouichi chuckled fondly at the sight of your overprotective twin. Adjusting his glasses, Shouichi shot Tsuna a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, Tsuna. Tsuya's just exhausted from being traumatized. Give her an hour or so and she'll come to again."

"Thank you," Tsuna breathed, his eyes finally expressing his weariness but his voice expressed his sincere gratitude towards his childhood friend for having performed CPR on you.

Feeling his face flush at the memory, Shouichi stuttered his reply to Tsuna, nervously fidgeting with the hem of his shirt while averting his gaze. The red-head winced, feeling the heat coming from a rather murderous glare to his right where an _extremely_ jealous subordinate was currently standing, staring at Shouichi as though he were the bane of his existence.

"Hold on to me! Raaaaaaah!" Haru's screech startled Tsuna; causing the young man to nearly jump out of his skin as he subconsciously tightened his hold on your slumbering form. "I'll protect Haru with my dying will!" Haru continued, pumping her fists into the air with much enthusiasm, earning a rather perplexed look from your sibling in return. Clasping her hands as a dreamy expression filtered across her face, Haru gazed lovingly at Tsuna, "I thought only people on TV said cheesy things like that."

Tsuna blanched at the young woman's insanity, "I was talking about Tsuya!"

"Speaking of Tsuya, hand her over to Gokudera so that you can put your uniform back on, No-good Tsuna," Reborn piped up, leisurely kicking his legs for a small form of entertainment while situated at the bottom step of the stairs which lead back up to the bridge.

Shooting an irritated glare Reborn's way, Tsuna had no problem expressing his feelings on the hitman's request. Reborn, however, remained impassive to the daggers Tsuna mentally shot his way, lazily waving towards the young man in a gesture to hand you over to the anxious Gokudera. Slowly getting to his feet, Tsuna turned to his right, shooting Reborn one last glare (which had NO effect whatsoever) before turning to face his subordinate. Hesitating a moment, Tsuna gave your small form a loving squeeze, his mocha eyes warily watching Gokudera's eager expression as the eldest Sawada twin reluctantly handed you over.

A frown appeared on Tsuna's lips when he noticed Gokudera's expression melting into a loving one while gazing down at your slumbering form in his arms. Releasing an agitated huff, Tsuna stomped over towards where his uniform lay in a small heap. The sooner he got dressed, the sooner he could smother you again.

"Tsuna-kun."

Blinking in surprise, Tsuna's gaze drifted to the left. His jaw dropped at the sight of a skeptic Hana and a smiling Kyoko, both females staring at his boxer clad form.

"What's going on here?" Hana inquired, arching a brow while giving Tsuna a scrutinizing look.

Kyoko smiled brightly at your brother, "Swimming in the morning? Aren't you cold?"

Feeling slightly flustered by the questions, Tsuna sputtered his response, "Well, no, er…that's…it…there's a reason for this."

"I'll save Haru with my dying will!" Haru's voice suddenly screamed, startling Tsuna as he spun around to find the young woman shouting happily whilst pumping her fists into the air and jumping up and down enthusiastically.

"Q-quiet, Haru!" Tsuna cried, rushing over to the shrieking female while frantically waving his arms in an attempt to shush her. His heart raced with worry for your wellbeing, his eyes darting to your small form before redirecting their gaze back to the loud female in front of him, "You'll wake Tsuya!"

"Shut up, stupid girl!" Gokudera snapped with an irk mark, tightening his grip on your body while gently pulling you closer to his chest.

"If you don't wear something, you'll catch a cold," Kyoko informed Tsuna with a smile, capturing his attention as he cast a brief glance her way.

"Y-yeah…" Tsuna agreed halfheartedly, still extremely concerned for your wellbeing.

"Tsuna-san," Haru interrupted, startling your brother by completely invading his personal bubble. The young woman had a dreamy expression on her face, her hands clasped together in front of her as she gazed at Tsuna as though he were some sort of hero (which in reality, he was). "You were… wonderful," she explained in a breathless wonder, a blush dusting across her face, "Te-n-th. It seems I now have a crush on you."

"W-what are you talking about?" Tsuna sputtered, his cheeks flaming up with an embarrassed blush.

Placing her hands on Tsuna's shoulders, Haru leaned in closer, causing your twin to jerk back in shock. "I feel like being tightly embraced by you," Haru cooed, earning a rather petrified look from Tsuna in return. Lunging forward, Haru threw her arms open, expecting to be embraced by her 'beloved', which in return, sent Tsuna running. "Tenth~!"

"Tsuuuuuuuyaaaaaaa~!" Tsuna shrieked, dodging the possessive swipes sent his way by his new stalker.

"Poor guy," Shouichi sympathized with a sigh, giving his head a small shake while watching Haru chase Tsuna around.

Hana snorted in disdain, placing a hand on her hip, "He really is an idiot."

Everyone was unaware of the young man watching this whole chaotic scene from over the rail on the bridge, gazing down at your group with an uninterested expression. Releasing a small snort, Hibari placed his hands in his pockets, his metallic gaze scanning your crazy group before landing on your slumbering form in Gokudera's protective hold. "Hm. That crowd is such an eyesore."

"Hey, could you calm down?" Tsuna yelped, diving behind Gokudera and taking cover while peering out at the young woman rushing towards him.

"Sure, just call me Haru, Tenth~!" the lovesick teen cooed.

"Why do I have to put up with this?" Tsuna wailed, comical tears streaming down his face. Snapping his eyes shut, Tsuna whined your name once more, wanting nothing more than to hide behind you and be bathed in your undivided attention. "Tsuuuuuuuyaaaaaaa~!"

Reborn smirked at the rather hilarious scene. Well, it looks like yours and Tsuna's family was beginning to grow little by little. Whether you two were aware or not, you and Tsuna were destined to become the 10th generation Mafia bosses of the Vongola family. It was only a matter of time before your little Mafia family became a force to be reckoned with. There was still the prospect of acquiring more members, speaking of which… allowing his calculating gaze to glance up at the moody Prefect peering down at your group, Reborn's smirk widened.

Ah~ it was only a matter of time.


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer****: All Katekyo Hitman Reborn characters belong to their rightful owner, Akira Amano. The only thing I **_**do**_** own is Tsuya Sawada.**

"Tsu-kun, Tsu-chan, hurry up," your mother's voice called from downstairs, "breakfast is ready."

Nonsensical words left your lips as you tiredly buried your face into Tsuna's chest, not quite ready to jump out of bed and face whatever chaotic scene that crazy hitman had in store for you and your beloved twin. Besides, after yesterday's traumatic turn of events, you weren't too keen on leaving the comfort of your bed (nor Tsuna's hold, of course~). Your eyes slowly slid open when the feeling of Tsuna's arm wrapping around your waist stirred you from your drowsy thoughts. Blinking tiredly, you gazed up at the loving orbs of your twin, his heartwarming smile coaxing you to give it your best today.

Chuckling fondly at your exhausted expression, Tsuna gently helped you up into a sitting position, placing a tender kiss on your forehead in his usual morning greeting. Allowing his right hand to run through your silky locks of hair, Tsuna smiled, his eyes glistening with pure adoration. "Morning, Tsuya," your brother greeted you in a loving tone, placing a chaste kiss on your cheek in a playful banter.

Groaning softly, you were too tired to rise to Tsuna's playful teasing, merely responding by muttering a soft 'morning' of your own before slumping forward to rest against Tsuna's warm body, eliciting a chuckle from your twin in reply as he wrapped his arms around your waist and gave your body a small squeeze. "Come on now," Tsuna cooed, gently brushing your bangs from your eyes, "let's get dressed. Mom'll probably come up here soon if we don't get ready."

"Nii-san," you whined softly in response, your voice slightly muffled against Tsuna's chest.

"Fine, fine," your brother snickered, leading you to believe that he was going to allow you to sleep in longer now. Of course, that pleasant thought was immediately drafted when you suddenly felt yourself being scooped up into Tsuna's arms, causing your eyes to shoot open as a squeal left your lips. Your arms swiftly wrapped themselves around Tsuna's neck for some closure when your twin suddenly began to twirl around, laughter spilling from his lips as Tsuna continued to perform a rather pleasant routine that successfully managed to wake you up fully.

Finally coming to a complete stop after realizing that you were now completely awake, Tsuna planted another kiss on your cheek before gently lowering you down so that you were able to stand on your own two feet. "Glad to see you've joined the land of the living, Tsu~" Tsuna taunted you, a playful smirk on his features.

When you made a weak swipe at the young male, Tsuna easily evaded your halfhearted attempt to shut him up. Chuckling fondly at your typical antics, Tsuna gently grasped both your wrists with his hands, gazing tenderly at you while distracting you long enough for his hands to release your small wrists and travel over to the soft, white material of your pajama top where he then proceeded to lift it up off of your body. "Come on," Tsuna cooed, a smile spreading across his lips as he tossed your discarded shirt onto your bed, "thanks to you, we probably only have a few seconds to change into our school uniforms."

Huffing irritably at your brother's playful taunts, you stomped over towards your dresser, trying your best to ignore the teasing wolf whistle that sounded from behind you (which had you retaliating by chucking a pillow at Tsuna's smirking face). After justice was served, you proceeded back over towards your dresser, sliding the middle drawer open and snatching up the two articles of your school uniform. Slipping the top over your head with ease, you then moved on to removing your sweatpants, chucking it in Tsuna's direction which in turn earned his own sweatpants being chucked at you in retaliation, his bubbly laughter filling the air.

The moment you two were finally dressed, Tsuna suddenly wrapped his arm around your waist, pulling you close so that your hips touched. "Smile for the camera, Tsu~" your twin chirped, causing your eyes to widen in surprise before you were suddenly blinded by a flashing light. Once your vision had finally returned to its original state, you blinked owlishly for a moment before noticing Tsuna's right, outstretched arm holding the culprit that had temporarily blinded you — your camera.

Shooting your brother a quizzical look, Tsuna responded by placing a loving kiss on your forehead before bounding over to your shared desk. Furrowing your brows, you silently wondered why Tsuna was being so affectionate (well, not that it was uncommon or anything, but still). Ever since your drowning experience the other day, you noticed that Tsuna was far more clingy than usual (and _that's_ saying something). He had begun to treat you as if you were some sort of china doll, afraid that even a simple touch might harm you in some way.

Now, as much as you'd like to reassure Tsuna that all was well on your half, you knew (and of course HE most certainly knew) that you had been scared out of your wits by yesterday's traumatic event. You were still a bit traumatized and tad reluctant to start the day, but Tsuna was providing you an _endless_ amount of comfort, leading you to believe that all would be well today with him there by your side. Tsuna knew you better than anyone. He knew when you needed your space, and when you needed someone to lean on. The moment your eyes locked with Tsuna, you felt a smile light up your features causing a chain reaction as Tsuna beamed back.

"Everything's gonna be fine," Tsuna reassured you in warm tone, grasping your hand in his and giving it a light squeeze to show his affection.

Smiling back at your twin, you returned the affectionate gesture, your heart swelling up with warmth at the thought that Tsuna would _always_ have your back. "I love you, Nii-san."

"I love you too," Tsuna murmured softly, brushing his lips against your forehead one last time. Slowly pulling away, Tsuna shot you a grin, "Now let's head down stairs and get ourselves some breakfast."

Loyally trailing after your brother, you two bounded down the stairs before coming to an immediate halt when you both were graced with the sight of a rather pale Gokudera standing right outside your kitchen, his right hand grasping the material of his shirt where his stomach was whilst his face expressed a small grimace. "Gokudera-kun?" at the sound of your voice, Gokudera's head jerked up, his eyes widening in surprise as a light blush dusted across his cheeks.

"P-Princess! Tenth!" the young man sputtered, his cheeks flaming up more, "G-good morning!"

"Good morning, Gokudera-kun," you responded with a smile. Moving to stand in front of the pale young man, you lifted your right hand, placing the back of it against Gokudera's forehead while furrowing your brows in concern, oblivious to the way Gokudera's face turned scarlet the moment your hand made contact with his skin. "Are you all right? You don't look so well," you noted worriedly, gazing into Gokudera's eyes while missing the jealous waves radiating off of your twin like a wildfire.

"I-I'm all right, really," Gokudera stumbled over his words, his cheeks flaring up in embarrassment as he tried his best not to swoon.

"What are you doing here so early?" Tsuna butted in, placing himself between you and Gokudera so that there was no further contact amongst you both.

Before Gokudera had a chance to respond, your mother's voice suddenly called out to you two from within the kitchen, causing you both to peer around Gokudera to see the bright demeanor of the cheerful woman as she continued to prepare breakfast, "Everyone's eating already," she informed you both with a smile, gesturing towards the crowded table.

Reborn lowered his bowl from his face, shooting you and your twin a smirk. "We've already started without you, Tsuna, Tsuya~"

"That's not surprising," Tsuna muttered sarcastically under his breath.

Both yours and Tsuna's gaze followed your mother's form as she made her way over to the table and joined the many occupants, causing you and Tsuna to do a double take as you both gapped at the unusual sight. Your mother was currently seated next to Shouichi with Lambo located to his right at the end of the table. Bianchi was next to Reborn, cooing softly to her lover whilst trying to feed him something, eliciting some rather disturbed looks from you and Tsuna in return. Well, Bianchi's presence would certainly explain why Gokudera outright refused to enter the kitchen. Poor guy…

Tsuna was definitely NOT used to this many people occupying your breakfast table. Normally it was just you two and your mother, and perhaps even Shouichi on occasion. "Since when were there _this_ many people?" Tsuna asked in disbelief, staring warily at the Mafia members (namely Reborn and his deranged lover).

"Here, Reborn, say 'ahh'," Bianchi cooed, holding a spoon full of steaming food for the young infant.

Meanwhile, to the right of the magenta haired woman, Lambo was currently about to dig in to his steaming bowl of food. "Lambo-san loves gratin," Lambo informed all, eagerly dipping his spoon into his meal and dishing out a rather large helping of piping hot gratin and devouring the serving without a hint of precaution. The moment the food touched Lambo's tongue it instantly seared his poor appendage, causing the young child to scream. Throwing his spoon to the ground, Lambo jumped onto the table, his tongue sticking out of his mouth while the young Bovino jumped up and down on the tabletop, tears streaming down his face, "It's hot! It's hot!" Lambo wailed, flailing his arms wildly before slowing down to a stop, his tongue still hanging out while his onyx eyes trailed down to the floor where is silverware was currently residing. "I lost my spoon and it fell down."

"Are you all right?" Shouichi asked worriedly, gazing at the young child with concern. Picking up his cold glass of water, Shouichi offered it to the tearful Bovino, "Here's some water."

Lambo accepted the drink, gulping it down without a second thought. Once the glass was completely empty of its liquid, Lambo placed the cup down, taking large, deep breaths. "Gotta. Stay. Calm."

"You need to blow on the food to let it cool down first," Nana informed Lambo with a smile.

"That's right," Bianchi agreed, turning her attention back to the hitman seated on her left, "here, Reborn," the young woman cooed, gently blowing on the food for a few moments before offering it to the young infant. Opening his mouth wide, Reborn encased the spoon in his mouth, devouring the food that Bianchi had provided him with.

Returning her attention back to yours and Tsuna's dazed forms in the entryway of the kitchen, Nana called you both over. "Tsu-kun, Tsu-chan, if you two don't eat quickly, you'll be late for school."

Tsuna could only stare on in complete and utter disbelief. _*Somehow it's become a daily scene.*_

Giving your twin a small reassuring pat on the back, your attention was soon diverted over towards Reborn when the infant suddenly called out to you, waving a small letter in his hand while gesturing for you to come over and get it. Arching a brow at the hitman, you slowly made your way over. Reaching out and accepting the letter offered to you, you felt Tsuna join you by your side while you unfolded the letter and allowed your eyes to silently scan the content.

"What does it say, Tsu-chan?" Nana inquired curiously.

You furrowed your brows slightly in confusion. "Huh, the principle wants me to come to school early today so I can see him in his office."

"Why would he want that?" Tsuna questioned skeptically, his eyes catching Shouichi rise from his seat from his peripheral vision.

"Not sure," you replied warily, shooting Reborn a small glare. You were certain this baby had something to do with this note, and judging by the smug look on his face, you'd have to say your accusations were correct. Stuffing the note into your skirt's pocket, you made a turn to leave, giving your mother a quick wave goodbye. "Well, I'd better head off now if I'm supposed to get to school early."

"Thanks for breakfast, Mrs. Sawada," Shouichi thanked, brushing past the surprised woman as she watched him join you and Tsuna as you two left the kitchen, quickly joined by Gokudera as the four of you then proceeded to leave the house.

"Goodbye!" Nana called after your group, the sound of the front door slamming shut informing her that you guys were now headed over to school.

You and Tsuna had barely made it past your front gate when your group was suddenly ambushed by a squealing maniac bounding around the corner with a rather large box wrapped in a green cloth in hand. You felt your jaw drop when you were finally able to recognize the maniac as none other than Haru. What the **HELL** was SHE doing _here?_ Your thoughts were soon answered and baffled even further when the energetic young woman frantically called out your brother's name before suddenly tripping over her own feet and sent crashing to the ground right in front of your group, earning some rather odd looks in response. However, Haru did not become deterred by her clumsiness. Instead, the young woman lifted her head up off the ground and shot Tsuna a sheepish grin with a small chuckle escaping her lips in the process.

"H-Haru," Tsuna sputtered in surprise.

"Nii-san," you began in a questioning, tone, glancing warily at the young woman who was now getting back on her feet and staring at your twin with a love struck expression, earning a rather irritated glare from you in response as you felt your blood begin to boil with the way she was looking at YOUR Tsuna, "just why exactly is SHE here?" you asked your beloved twin in a heated tone.

Before Tsuna had a chance to respond, Haru's attention was suddenly directed to you, a loud squeal leaving her lips as she eagerly began to greet you. "Ah! Sister! It's so nice to see you again!"

"S-sister?" to say you were mortified by this new revelation would be an understatement. Just who the HELL did this chick think she was to call you _'sister'_, anyway? Has she completely forgotten yesterday's event when she nearly _**killed**_ you? Now she's developed some type of one-sided love with YOUR Tsuna, and apparently believes that you'll accept her like some kind of adopted sibling? Well hate to break it to ya, crazy chick — **HELL NO!**

Moving on as though she was completely unaware of your scathing glare, Haru redirected her attention back to Tsuna, beaming at the young man while a light blush dusted across her face. "Yes! I am the one you saved the other day, and who you promised would become your future wife, Myura Haru."

You just couldn't _believe_ what you were hearing. "Nii-san said _**WHAT?**_"

"No! I never made a promise like that!" Tsuna protested frantically, shaking his head while waving his hands back and forth in front of him in an effort to try and calm your seething self down. Tsuna tensed when he felt a familiar hot, bubbly feeling erupting in his lower abdomen. However, it was safe to say that Tsuna knew full well that the roiling emotion he was feeling right now _definitely_ wasn't his. Allowing his mocha eyes to lock on your small form, Tsuna gulped, a chill running down his spine at the sight of you glaring at Haru in the exact same way he found himself doing at other males — yet yours was _far_ worse.

"Tsuna-san, please take this lunch box that I made!" Haru pleaded, holding out the giant lunch box with a hopeful expression on her face as she gazed at her infatuation.

Tsuna refused to make any sudden movement, fearing that your anger was just at its peak. Besides, he didn't really want to accept Haru's offer, anyway. Tsuna knew that you would be beyond pissed if he accepted the lunch box, especially since it was _your_ job to prepare his lunch for him. Taking a cautious step away from the advancing Haru, Tsuna carefully edged closer to you, his hand gently brushing against your own in an attempt to shift you from your torrent thoughts. Not missing that small flash of recognition in your eyes when his hand brushed against yours, Tsuna then proceeded to grasp your hand, giving it a small reassuring squeeze when your eyes locked, a silent message being formed between the two of you as Tsuna informed you that he only had eyes for you and you alone.

Feeling reassured by Tsuna's sincerity, you allowed your body to relax. Your hand gave Tsuna's a loving squeeze of its own, eliciting a bright smile from your sibling in return. Releasing a small sigh, you granted Tsuna access to your rattled emotions, allowing your beloved twin to immediately disperse those uncomfortable feelings and to be replaced by a warm, fuzzy feeling that you knew full well to be Tsuna's love for you. A small chuckle escaped Tsuna's lips when he noticed your peaceful expression, earning a small bump from your hip into his own in retaliation as you shot him a playful glare.

Shouichi eyed the large box Haru was offering your brother, observing the young woman as she eagerly awaited Tsuna's response. The red-head cast a brief glance in yours and Tsuna's direction, not missing the silent interaction progressing between you two. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, Shouichi voiced his question, determined to give you and Tsuna your quality time. "A lunch box?"

Caught by surprise due to the fact that it had been Shouichi who had voiced the question, Haru directed her gaze his way before giving a small nod of her head. "I've worked hard making it since the day before yesterday!"

_*The day before yesterday. What the hell?*_ Shouichi and Gokudera thought together in exasperation, eyeing the young woman oddly.

Pulling the large lunch box close to her chest, a dark blush splashed across Haru's face. Her eyes slid shut as she bashfully began to fidget, "For Tsuna-san, who will become a great Mafia boss, this is nothing."

Shouichi found himself blanching at the young woman's obliviousness to the whole situation. _*She's so into it. This is terrible!*_

"Here!" Haru exclaimed, holding out the large lunch box once again while anxiously waiting for your twin to accept the gift.

Shouichi coughed into his fist, his stunning green eyes sweeping in both yours and Tsuna's direction. A smile crossed the young man's lips, though hidden behind his fist, at the sight of Tsuna completely absorbed in showering you with his attention. It was rather comical at times to watch the two of you completely turn a blind eye to the world so that you could focus on nothing but each other. Shouichi knew full well that this was yours and Tsuna's way with dealing with all of the chaos and constant changes being thrown in your direction. It had originally been just the two of you in your own little world, but with Reborn now interfering and trying to mold you both into two completely different types of people; it's only natural that you and Tsuna rely on one another to remain sane throughout this whacked out conspiracy.

Taking matters into his own hands, Shouichi reached out and plucked the lunch box out of Haru's grasp, intent on sending the young woman on her merry way so that your group could continue on with its original plan to have a (somewhat) _normal_ walk to school. "Well, thanks for the gift. We offer our sincere gratitude, now it's time for you to just move along now~"

Gokudera couldn't agree more. Waving the deranged woman off, the silver-haired Mafioso wanted nothing more than to be rid of her exceptionally cheerful demeanor. "Go on, shoo! The Tenth and Princess don't need you taking away any more of their time," the Italian commented in a forced tone, trying his best to remain on good behavior (no matter how much he wanted to personally blow this chick up considering the fact that she almost _**killed**_ you yesterday, that bi-).

"Good morning, Tsuna-kun. Good morning, Tsuya-chan," Kyoko's sweet voice called out, causing everyone's head to glance over their shoulder to see the caramel-eyed girl making her way over to your group with a bright smile on her face.

"Ah, Kyoko-chan," you and Tsuna acknowledged in surprise, staring at the young woman as she stopped beside you two, glancing curiously at the crazy brunette who was located in front of you both.

"You three must get along well," Kyoko insisted with a smile, causing you and Tsuna to nearly perform a face-plant at the preposterous accusation that had just been made. How on earth could she possibly believe that you two got along with…_Haru._

_*She's really misunderstanding!*_ you and Tsuna thought exasperatedly, sharing identical blank looks before releasing puffs of air.

"My name is Myura Haru from Midori Middle School. I may be a bit careless, but I hope we'll get along," Haru introduced herself, giving a small bow while directing a smile in Kyoko's direction.

Kyoko giggled, smiling back at the young woman. "My name is Sasagawa Kyoko. I'm in the same class as Tsuna-kun, Tsuya-chan, and Gokudera-kun. Nice to meet you."

While the girls began a friendly chat, you, Tsuna, Shouichi, and Gokudera exchanged exasperated looks. Casting the two females one last look, the four of you turned a deaf ear to their chatter and then promptly began your trek to school. To say that was bizarre would be a complete understatement — it should really be referred to as downright retarded. 

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Gokudera-kun~" your bubbly laughter spilled from your lips as the silver-haired Mafioso continued to fuss over your wellbeing. The Italian had already confiscated your satchel, convinced that you shouldn't carry such a 'heavy' load due to your injuries (which in all honesty, were nothing more than a few cuts and bruises, really). Despite your reassurance that all was well on your half, Gokudera continued to try and persuade you to allow him to carry you the rest of the way to school. You had to give him props, though. Gokudera just _wouldn't_ take no for an answer.

"Those are an awful lot of bruises you've got, Tsu…" Shouichi noted in a concerned tone, his green eyes scanning the littered splotches of bluish marks located on various parts of your exposed skin. He could only imagine how many bruises you truly had. The only other person who could possibly know this information was none other than Tsuna. Speaking of which, Shouichi allowed his gaze to drift over to your concerned twin, who was apparently as deeply worried for your wellbeing as the rest of the males in your group.

Gokudera's brows furrowed, his heart clenching when you politely refused his offer (again) to carry you. Clenching his fists, Gokudera's eyes traveled over your small form, his eyes narrowing at the horrible sight of your battered body. Che! If only he had been more helpful the other day. Gokudera snapped his eyes shut, his heart giving a painful lurch at the thought that you had been hurt due to his incompetence to be there by your side to prevent such a travesty from ever happening. Allowing his right hand to delve into his jeans' pocket, Gokudera grasped a hold of the small note you had slipped into his bento box the other day. Running the heartfelt note through his mind for the billionth sixth time that morning, Gokudera took a deep breath before gently releasing the treasured piece of paper from his hand.

Slowly sliding his eyes back open, a new idea popped into Gokudera's head. Determined to make up for his blunder the previous day before, a smile lit up Gokudera's face as he rushed in front of you, catching your whole group by surprise as Gokudera suddenly crouched down and glanced over his shoulder, shooting you a grin. "Hop on, Princess~" Gokudera coaxed you, gesturing towards his back with a small wave of his right hand.

"…" you were stunned for a moment, however, that emotion quickly faded to be replaced by a jolt of giddiness at the thought of a piggy-back ride. Trying your best to restrain yourself from rushing forward and jumping onto Gokudera's back, you felt your hands anxiously twitch at your sides. Your mocha eyes quickly swept in Tsuna's direction, locking gazes with your beloved twin as a pleading look flitted across your features. A laugh left Tsuna's lips at the adorable look you threw his way. He knew what you were silently asking, and with a small nod of his head, Tsuna watched on in complete amusement as you squealed in delight and immediately rushed forward to mount your 'silver steed'.

Gokudera couldn't keep the laugh from spilling from his lips when you pounced him from behind, your arms wrapping themselves around his neck to keep you steady. Gingerly sliding his hands along the smooth skin of your legs, Gokudera's hands situated themselves on the underside of your knees. Moving to stand up, Gokudera couldn't help but marvel at how light you were. Casting a brief glance over his shoulder at your beaming face, Gokudera felt his heart swell. Unable to prevent a silly grin from appearing on his lips, Gokudera couldn't resist giving you a small bounce, causing a delighted squeal to leave your lips. "Ready, Princess~?" Gokudera asked, his grin widening at the sight of your joyous expression.

"Giddy-up, Gokudera-kun~!" you eagerly responded, your bubbly laughter filling the air when Gokudera instantly took off the moment those words were ushered from your lips.

Tsuna and Shouichi watched on with wistful expressions on their features.

"Still absorbed in her childish fantasies," Shouichi noted in a fond tone, a smile creeping onto his face. Releasing a small chuckle, Shouichi adjusted his glasses, his heart swelling at the thought that despite the chaos unraveling around you, you were still able to think positive and remain completely unchanged (personality wise). Shouichi's green eyes wandered over to your twin, silently observing his behavior.

"I'm glad that Tsuya's still able to laugh like this," Tsuna commented in a soft tone, his eyes easily expressing his deep concern for you. A strained sigh left his lips, "I was really worried that Tsuya would withdraw after yesterday's…event. That type of trauma really has a strong effect on her," Tsuna informed his childhood friend, earning a curious look from the red-head in response. Running a hand through his brown locks, Tsuna's eyes followed yours and Gokudera's retreating forms. "She may not show it…but Tsuya is really sensitive. I can't even begin to tell you how rough it was last night. It was so hard to see her jerk awake every ten minutes with nothing but that sheer look of terror crossing her face 'cause she was having nightmares about drowning. I'm so used to Tsuya protecting me, that I forgot how vulnerable she can really be."

A frown tugged at Shouichi's lips at the sound of Tsuna's distressed tone. Taking a closer glance at your sibling, Shouichi was able to pick up the weariness hidden within Tsuna's eyes. Hesitant to voice his opinion in case it came across as insensitive, Shouichi debated with himself for a few seconds before finally letting the words spill from his lips. "…Despite the traumatic turn of events the other day, I think it was important for you to have been the one to rescue Tsuya from her biggest phobia."

Tsuna blinked, turning his doe-like gaze towards his childhood friend. "You think it was important?"

"Augh," Shouichi gave the back of his head a sheepish rub, his stomach giving an uncomfortable churn due to how his words had been formed, "what I _meant_ to say, was that despite Tsuya's traumatic experience yesterday, I think it was really important to her that it was YOU who saved her from drowning. Call me crazy, but I believe that you created a safety cushion for Tsuya. Despite her aquaphobia, I'm sure Tsuya feels better knowing that you'll always be there to pull her back up to the surface."

Tsuna remained silent for a moment, allowing his friend's words to sink in.

_/Flashback/_

A startled gasp sounded through the darkness, followed by a jerky movement that instantly woke Tsuna from his slumbering state. Blinking rapidly and rubbing his right eye with his fist to try and wake his self up, Tsuna pushed himself up into a sitting position. Once his eyes were finally adjusted to the darkness, concern filled his heart at the sight of your hunched form; your body quivering slightly as you tightly grasped the material of the bed's comforter in your hands.

"Tsuya?" Tsuna softly called your name, gently resting a hand on your shoulder only to be caught by surprise when you suddenly jerked, whipping your head around to reveal your wide, terror-filled eyes.

Tsuna felt his heart lurch at the heartbreaking sight of your distressed form. Releasing his hold of your shoulder, Tsuna leaned back slightly, opening his arms in a welcoming gesture. In a matter of seconds you flung yourself into Tsuna's hold, your arms wrapping tightly around his form as you buried your face in his chest. Snaking his arms around your waist, Tsuna gave your quivering body a loving squeeze. Resting his chin on your head, Tsuna released a soft sigh, giving you another affectionate squeeze in an effort to calm your torrent nerves.

Feeling your hands tightly grasp the material of his shirt, an obvious sign of your nervous energy, Tsuna softly murmured your name. "Tsuya, it's okay," your brother gently coaxed, his right hand drifting upward to trace circular patterns on your back to calm you. "I'm right here. I won't let _anything__ happen to you."_

Tsuna then proceeded to perform the routine of softly humming your tune, his hand continuing with its gentle action of rubbing soothing patterns on your skin. Half-way through the tune, Tsuna felt your body falling lax against his form. Your once iron hold on his shirt was slowly beginning to loosen, along with your erratic breathing which was now calming down to an even pace. Tsuna continued with your melody, his eyes softening at the sight of your slumbering form in his arms. Humming the last of the tune, Tsuna placed a tender kiss on your forehead before slowly leaning back so that you two were now lying down in your bed.

Allowing his right hand to run its fingers through your silky hair, a small sigh left Tsuna's lips as he silently watched you sleep. This was the fifth time you had awoken in a cold sweat, terrorized by your dreams of drowning in a dark abyss. It was really taking a toll on Tsuna to see you in such a state, where you were truly petrified to the point where you were unable to speak. Giving your small form a squeeze with the arm wrapped possessively around your waist, Tsuna continued to run his fingers through your hair, desperate to let you know that he would do anything_ to protect you._

After half an hour passed without you showing any signs of distressing dreams, Tsuna felt his eyes slowly slide shut in exhaustion. Pulling you close and placing one last affectionate kiss on your forehead before completely succumbing to sleep, Tsuna allowed your gentle breathing to lead him to the world of slumber.

/End Flashback/

"…I love her so much," Tsuna mumbled softly, his heart inflating at the sound of your bubbly laughter in the distance.

Shouichi smiled at his childhood friend's affection for you. Releasing a small chuckle, Shouichi gave a small nod of his head to show that he understood what Tsuna was talking about. "Don't worry, Tsu-kun. Tsuya and I know better than anyone how much you really care for her," the red-head informed his dear friend, green eyes meeting mocha ones, "besides," Shouichi continued, his smile widening, "I think that's what helps her move on."

Tsuna blinked, stunned by his friend's deep words. Allowing his eyes to drift over in your direction, a smile appeared on his face when he managed to lock gazes with you for a moment. Laughter spilled from Tsuna's lips when you mockingly stuck your tongue out at him, pulling your bottom eyelid down in a taunting gesture as you and Gokudera continued to disappear from their view. Feeling his heart fill with warmth, Tsuna cast a brief glance at the red-head beside him, his smile morphing into a grin as Tsuna then took off, racing after you and Gokudera. Shouichi couldn't help but laugh at how childish you and Tsuna could be at times. Giving a small shake of his head, Shouichi immediately gave chase, intent on catching up with the group.

After all, he wouldn't have it any other way. 

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

"Nii-san," you laughed, your chest swelling with love for you sibling as Tsuna downright _refused_ to release your hand from his hold so that you could enter the dreaded principal's office. Your group was currently standing right outside of the principal's door, an eerie silence befalling the males as they simply remained stationed by your side, acting as though you were off to face a death sentence of some sort (now there's a dreadful thought). Tsuna continued to hold your hand in an iron-grip, refusing to release you from his hold any time soon as he simply stared straight ahead at the 'menacing' door with an anxious expression flitted across his face. Giving your brother's hand a reassuring squeeze, you snapped Tsuna out of his thoughts, causing his beautiful eyes to glance curiously in your direction, "It's all right, Nii-san. I'll be fine," you tried to console your twin, flashing him a bright smile.

Tsuna remained adamant, his only response being the tightening grip on your hand, informing you that he wasn't going to let you waltz on in there without any type of backup. Releasing a small puff of air, you decided to try and humor your beloved twin by coaxing him the only way you knew how — by performing the infamous puppy dog pout. The moment your deep gaze meet Tsuna's, your brother instantly knew that he had met his match. Nearly melting into a pile of goo due to your _adorable_ and _devious_ puppy dog pout, Tsuna felt his resolve instantly crumbling. Releasing a low groan, Tsuna reluctantly released your hand, his face stained with a light hue of red.

"J-just be careful in there, Tsu," your brother mumbled timidly, his stomach performing flip-flops as his blush only managed to deepen in color when your lips made contact with his cheek.

"Will do, Nii-san," you responded in a soft tone, flashing your beloved Tsuna one last smile before taking the few steps necessary to _finally_ reach that dreaded door. Grasping the doorknob and giving it a small turn, you cast a brief glance over your shoulder, almost bursting into a fit of giggles at the sight of the three _extremely_ anxious males. Just who exactly was it that was going to the visit the principal again? Chuckling softly under your breath, you gave the jittery young men a smile and then proceeded to open the door and enter the room. Just as you were closing the door, you were able to make out Tsuna's distressed tone before the door finally snapped shut.

_"Ohmygod! I've just feed Tsuya to the wolves!"_

Biting your tongue to prevent yourself from laughing out loud due to Tsuna's overdramatic response to your departure, you directed your attention to the balding, middle-aged man seated at the desk in the center of the room. The elder man currently had his elbows propped up on the desk and his fingers were interlaced as he gazed at you through his rectangular spectacles. You could faintly make out the sound of his foot repeatedly tapping the floor, nervous energy, you concluded silently to yourself.

"Miss Tsuyako Sawada," the principal called your name, your brows furrowing in confusion when you caught the slight tremor hidden within his voice, "I thank you for coming. There are some matters that must be addressed."

"Uh, yeah…sure…" you responded, allowing your gaze to inspect the rather perturbed man in front of you. He appeared to have a light sheen of sweat, and his eyes were moving erratically between you and something off to the far right back in the room. You wanted so badly to turn around and see just what the heck it was that had the middle-aged man so on edge, however, you refrained yourself from doing so, not wanting to appear sidetracked in any way from the conversation which might then lead you to a detention (which heaven only knows you've been assigned to due to lack of attention in certain classes).

A shaky hand reached up to adjust the slightly askew glasses on the elder man's face, his breath leaving him in stutters before he appeared to swallow a lump in his throat. "I-I've received your form for a school activity," the principal began in an edgy tone, his eyes once again jerking back and forth between you…and whatever the heck it was in the back of the room, "After a b-b-brief discussion with the person in c-c-charge of the committee you a-applied for, it was d-decided that you would be a-accepted."

Your brain was slowly beginning to put the pieces together. "Whoa…wait… what form?"

Nervously clearing his throat, the principal gestured towards the back of the room in a rather jerky motion while licking his lips before speaking once more, "Your l-leader has kindly accepted the role to introduce you t-to the rules of the committee. You begin your f-first day today, and should any questions a-arise, don't be afraid to approach…" the principal was about to mention the 'leader' of the committee group that you had oh-so graciously applied to (hell no you didn't! Dammit Reborn!), only to whirl around; fear gripping at your heart with the thought of just _who_ exactly your 'leader' was.

You felt your heart still the moment your eyes locked with steel gray ones, a devious smirk appearing on the raven haired teen's lips as he gazed at you with a morbid fascination, most likely imagining all of the possible ways to 'bite-you-to-death' if you ever managed to step out of place or challenge HIS authority. Oh just peachy! Of all the committees that _stupid_ baby had to sign you up for, it was none other than the notorious Discipline Committee lead by none other than…

"Hibari Kyouya," you breathed, your right eye twitching in annoyance as your stomach dropped at the thought of actually having to bend over back for THIS guy.

The prefect flashed his teeth at you (and you were oddly surprised to find that he had no fangs). Pushing himself away from the comfortable position he had of leaning against the wall, Hibari strode over to your side, his eyes flashing with ill intents (which you most certainly did NOT want to find out what they were). Grasping a hold of your upper right arm with an iron grip, Hibari leaned down so that he was eye-to-eye with you, his steely gaze just egging you on to defy him right here, right now. "Welcome to the Discipline Committee, _herbivore._"

Before you were even able to make up some kind of witty remark, you felt a small pang of pain in your arm, causing you to wince ever so slightly. This small action did not go by unnoticed by Hibari. The older male smirked at your obvious discomfort before _finally_ releasing your arm from his hold. Narrowing your eyes into a glare, you shot Hibari a look, your eyes then trailing to your right arm to see what the damage was. You felt your jaw drop at the sight of a Discipline Committee armband pinned into the sleeve of your shirt, a strange ominous feeling filling the air to inform you that in some weird, bizarre way…that you had just been _marked._

Allowing your startled gaze to peer back up into Hibari's own hard one, you felt your heart drop into your stomach before you did the only thing that came naturally to you in a situation like this — you pulled a Tsuna.

Racing past the slightly amused prefect, you grabbed a hold of the doorknob and frantically twisted it so that the door swung up. Hastily scrambling out of the room, you then proceed to slam the door shut, startling the three awaiting males in the hall. To say you caused quite a scene was an understatement. With your back pressed against the door and your hand still held firmly on the doorknob in a vain effort to prevent anyone from opening it, your highly unusual actions to what should have been a _normal_ visit to the principal's office left Tsuna feeling extremely anxious, his mind buzzing wildly with what various scenes (most of which he _really_ didn't want to imagine right now).

"Tsuya!" Tsuna yelped, rushing forward to greet you while Gokudera and Shouichi exchanged looks with one another before racing forward to join you. Grasping your arms with his shaking hands, Tsuna tried his best not to initially panic, but that was a bit difficult to do at the moment, seeing as how you looked as white as a ghost. Tightening his grip on your arms, Tsuna began to frantically question you, asking if something bad had happened in that office and if he should send Gokudera in there to deal with it (and oddly enough, Gokudera was already drawing out various sticks of dynamite, his eyes flashing with rage as he looked as though he was about to personally kick that door down right this instant).

Tsuna's words fell silent when his left hand suddenly brushed against some type of odd fabric located on your right arm, causing his gaze to drift away from your petrified expression to catch sight of…ohmygod. Tsuna felt his mouth instantly become dry at the sight of…THAT. Opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish, Tsuna felt himself become dizzy. How on earth did you get tangled in such a…oh, he couldn't even think about it lest he keel over right this moment. It now made perfect sense as to why you were acting so out of character!

_BANG._

Tsuna yelped, nearly jumping right out of his skin at the loud noise he had heard just now. Frantically looking left and right for any signs of that preposterous hitman, Tsuna was surprised to find no sign of that deranged infant. Loud yells from Gokudera immediately snapped Tsuna out of his daze, causing his wide doe-like eyes to be directed to the sudden source of Gokudera's anger — Hibari Kyouya.

The prefect was currently standing in the middle of the doorway to the principal's office, looming menacingly over Tsuna's and your small forms. Hibari silently observed both yours and Tsuna's stunned expressions with a bored expression of his own, completely turning a deaf ear to the heated ranting of your silver-haired subordinate to "Step away from the Tenth and Princess, you bastard!". For a few more intense seconds of having Hibari simply stand there and gaze at you and your sibling, the raven haired prefect finally moved into action and forcefully yanked you out of Tsuna's protective hold, blatantly ignoring both his and Gokudera's cries to stop as he then proceeded to drag you down the hall.

The last thing you saw before being dragged around the corner was Tsuna's petrified stare and Shouichi trying his hardest to hold back an _extremely_ pissed Mafioso who was frantically calling your name and spitting spiteful words about that raven haired bimbo. 

[X]{X}[X]{X}[X]

_*Nii-saaaan…*_ comical tears streamed down your face as your tried your best to evaporate into thin air (fat chance of that happening anytime soon). You could feel Hibari's gaze burning a hole in the side of your head as you frantically began to pretend that he wasn't standing right _there._ Ah, where's Tsuna when you need him? Then again, you can't really blame him for not wanting to provoke the wrath of the demon prefect. Speaking of which, you chanced a brief glance to your left, only to find your body stiffening the moment your eyes locked with Hibari's cold gaze — okay that was a BAD idea!

"So, like it says on the printout, those are the rooms assigned to for the second semester committee," a male's voice spoke up, immediately drawing you out of your stupor to recall just _where_ exactly you were right now. You and various other students belonging to clubs were present in the conference room where a meeting explaining which groups were assigned to which rooms was currently being discussed. Ironically this has lasted for well over two hours already, and you were honestly beginning to wonder when the hell this all would just end already so you could be on your merry way to reunite with your beloved twin.

A young brunette female with her hair tied up in a high ponytail was currently scanning the list of assigned rooms, her lips tugging into a frown when she managed to come across a certain group. "Hey, what's up with this?" the young woman protested, furrowing her brows. "There's a committee that's using the reception room. That's so unfair. Which one is it?"

The two students on either side of her shot her petrified looks. A young raven haired woman located on the brunette's right stuttered a short warning to 'hush' while the male on the brunette's right hastily began to explain the seriousness of the situation by frantically whispering the name of the group assigned to that particular room, "That's the Discipline Committee."

You watched as the brunette's face paled, her jaw dropping at this bit of information while her body began to shiver in fright. It appeared as though she finally understood the severity of her action of speaking out loud. Her wide brown eyes swept towards the direction where you and Hibari were currently residing, her shivering only increasing the moment Hibari narrowed his eyes into a menacing glare. "Do you have a problem with that?" Hibari drawled, his eyes just _begging_ the young female to say otherwise so that he could 'bite-her-to-death' for speaking out of term.

Hastily pushing her chair back and scrambling to her feet, the brunette stuttered her response, "No, I do not!" the young woman then proceeded to bow low, "I-I'm very sorry, Hibari-san!"

Hibari's eyes flashed with that ill intent you knew very well to most likely be the undoing of that poor female. Coughing into your fist, you cast a sideways glance towards the demon prefect located to your left, both of your eyes meeting for a brief moment before you hastily averted your gaze. Hibari furrowed his brows, an aggravated breath leaving his lips before he allowed his once tense body to relax, shooting the brunette a warning glance, "Then, you may proceed."

"But isn't it weird," one random male spoke up, eliciting nervous glances from his peers to not speak out of term lest he wants to provoke the wrath of Hibari. You might have been able to prevent him from attacking them _this_ time, but should this guy speak wrongly, there was no guarantee you could prevent Hibari from lashing out again. "Using the reception room for the Discipline Committee?" the male continued to rant, earning the backup from the many males located behind him (what was with that strange group, anyway?).

One of the many males standing behind his leader (the one who had just spoken against Hibari) nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, it is."

The other males immediately agreed with their other two members. "Yeah! Yeah!"

Furrowing your brows at these guys' stupidity, you cast a brief glance at the note laid out before the leader, informing you that this was the Tree Planting Committee. You could feel the menacing aura radiating off of Hibari like a wildfire, causing you to inwardly flinch as you observed his outward emotion which was a calm demeanor (yeah right!). Oh, it was only a matter of time before Hibari found some way to totally beat these guys to a bloody pulp. Hibari Kyouya _always_ got his way.

"That's true! That's true!" another random member of the Tree Planting Committee piped up, drawing you out of your thoughts to direct your attention to the matter at hand.

The whole group then chorused together, "It's totally true!"

"We're against the Discipline Committee getting special treatment!"

"Against it! Against it! Totally against it!"

Oh yeah. They were as good as dead now, you presumed silently to yourself, wincing slightly as you felt Hibari's intent to 'bite-them-to-death' engulf his entire being. Oh this was NOT the place to be right now, you whined to yourself, your heart beating erratically as you tried your best to think of happier thoughts, like Tsuna. Yeah, what could Tsuna be up to right now? Hopefully he wasn't called on today in math class. Neither one of you had studied last night's practice sheets so…

"What are you, the 'good friends committee'?" Hibari drawled, his piercing gaze petrifying most of the committee members within the room, "There should only be one representative for each committee."

"The Tree Planting Committee is different," the leader retorted heatedly, his members immediately jumping in to defend their 'honor'.

"Yeah, yeah," another random member agreed with a nod of his head, "We have to deal with issues such as Global Warming."

"We are very conscious, aren't we?"

"Yeah."

"Besides," the leader interrupted, pointing accusingly in your direction, "aren't you also breaking the rules? You have an extra member with you too!"

You and the other various committee members (excluding the Tree Planting Committee, of course) could instantly feel the cold chill in the air the moment that obnoxious leader pointed out the rules to the raven haired prefect that practically wrote the book. Hibari's gaze hardened, his blood lust raging wildly for a few moments before suddenly lowering down to a mere simmer, earning a rather cautious glance from you as you watched the head prefect gaze menacingly at the arrogant group before him.

"If you must know," Hibari began in an eerily calm tone, "This herbivore is my _personal_ assistant. She is required to be by my side 24/7. If you have a problem with her, you take it up with me."

…Damn that Reborn!

After another painful twenty minutes passed by as the meeting _finally_ wrapped up, you were anxious, shifting your weight from one foot to the other while cautiously casting a brief glance in Hibari's direction as the raven haired prefect's cold and calculating gaze watched the other committee members hurriedly scurry off, leaving only the arrogant group of the Tree Planting Committee behind to face the violent teen's wrath should they try and provoke him yet again. Conspicuously coughing into your fist, you succeeded in attracting Hibari's attention, a shiver running up your spine when you felt his irritated gaze lock on your small form.

"So…" you commented offhandedly, your eyes avoiding the prefect's harsh stare to absentmindedly watch the Tree Planting Committee finally take their leave, "now that this meeting is officially over…am I allowed to skedaddle?" you asked cautiously, chancing a glance in the demon's direction.

Silence was your only response, causing you to almost perform a face-plant due to your 'leader's' lack of effort to acknowledge your question. Okaaaaay~ talk about _awkward_ situation. Nervously tapping your right foot against the polished tile, you almost jumped right out of your skin when Hibari's deep voice spoke out. Jerking your head to the left, you gazed wide-eyed at the blank expression on your leader's face, clearly informing you that he didn't like the fact that he would have to repeat himself to the likes of _you._

"I _said,_" Hibari began, shooting you one of his infamous 'looks' before proceeding with his sentence, "that you're free to go attend your next class, _herbivore._"

It took you a moment before the snarky reply had finally managed to lodge itself in your brain. Your eyes instantly sparkled at the prospect of meeting up with Tsuna, your lips breaking into a smile as you hastily began to make your way towards the door only to freeze in your tracks when Hibari's irritated voice called out to you. "No running in the halls, herbivore."

Taking a moment to yourself to try and calm your jumbled nerves, you carefully began to inch your way towards the door, not wanting to provoke Hibari's wrath any further. Slipping out of sight from the prefect's hardened stare, you couldn't help the sigh of relief that slipped past your lips when you were finally able to escape that stressful atmosphere. Taking an animated step forward, you halted in your steps when the sound of a brawl reached your ears, causing you to turn your head towards an opened window in one of the unoccupied classrooms you had just passed during your trek down the hall. Silently debating with yourself on whether or not you should check it out, you moved to continue on your way, only to backtrack not even a second later due to your curiosity having gotten the better of you.

Cautiously making your way over towards the window, you peered outside, your stomach dropping the moment you caught sight of Hibari's goons beating the crap out of the Tree Planting Committee. Your hands tightly gripped the window sill, your eyes narrowing at the rather gruesome sight as your stomach dropped. You watched the leader of the goons roughly kick one of the Tree Planting Committee members in the stomach, scoffing at the injured male before giving him a glare, "It wasn't because you were trying to defy Hibari," the goon leader began in an arrogant tone, "it's because you were crowding in front of him."

You watched on in disbelief, your stomach churning slightly at having to witness such a rather gruesome one-sided fight. Feeling an emotion tug on your heartstrings, you averted your gaze from the scene below. Gritting your teeth, you couldn't help but slam your fist into the wall.

"…U-unbelievable," you muttered to yourself, whirling around and instantly taking off so that you could begin your mission to reunite with Tsuna.


End file.
